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Noun: flutter  flú-tu(r)
  1. The motion made by flapping up and down
    "The flutter of the flag in the breeze caught their attention";
    - flap, flapping, fluttering
     
  2. The act of moving back and forth
    "The flutter of the curtains in the breeze was hypnotic";
    - waver, flicker
     
  3. Abnormally rapid beating of the auricles of the heart (especially in a regular rhythm); can result in heart block
    "The ECG showed signs of atrial flutter"
     
  4. A disorderly outburst or tumult
    "The announcement caused a flutter of excitement in the room";
    - disturbance, disruption, commotion, hurly burly, to-do [informal], hoo-ha [informal], hoo-hah [informal], kerfuffle [Brit, informal], carry-on [Brit, informal], song and dance [Brit, informal]
     
  5. [Brit, informal] An act of gambling
    "He had a flutter on the horse race";
    - bet, wager, punt [Brit, informal]
Verb: flutter  flú-tu(r)
  1. Flap the wings rapidly or fly with flapping movements
    "The seagulls fluttered overhead"
     
  2. Move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart
    "The hummingbird fluttered among the branches";
    - flit, fleet, dart
     
  3. Move back and forth very rapidly
    "the candle fluttered";
    - flicker, waver, flitter, quiver
     
  4. Beat rapidly
    "His heart fluttered";
    - palpitate
     
  5. Wink briefly
    "flutter one's eyelids";
    - bat

Derived forms: fluttering, fluttered, flutters

See also: bother, fuss, hassle [informal], shindy [informal], stink [informal], trouble

Type of: arhythmia, arrhythmia, barrel [informal], beat, belt [informal], belt along [informal], betting, blink, bucket [informal], bucket along [informal], cardiac arrhythmia, disorder, flap, gambling, gaming, hasten, hie [archaic], hotfoot, hurry, motility, motion, move, move back and forth, movement, nictate, nictitate, pelt [informal], pelt along [informal], play, pound, race, rocket [informal], rush, rush along, speed, step on it [informal], thump, travel rapidly, undulation, wave, whizz [informal], whizz along [informal], wing [informal], wink, zip [informal], zoom, zoom along [informal]

Encyclopedia: Flutter