# flight

Pronunciation: say "FLYT" /flaɪt/

## Noun

1. A journey made by an aircraft, especially between two cities or countries, usually planned or booked in advance.
   - Simple: A trip through the air in a plane, helicopter, or other aircraft, often booked ahead of time.
   - _The morning flight to Denver was delayed by heavy fog._
   - _Passengers boarded the transatlantic flight after a long wait at the gate._
2. The action or process of flying through the air.
   - Simple: The action of moving through the air, as birds and planes do.
   - _Birds are built for flight, with hollow bones and powerful wings._
   - _Engineers filmed dragonflies to learn how they stay steady in flight on gusty days._
3. A particular instance of moving through the air by flying.
   - Simple: A single time that a bird, plane, or object moves through the air.
   - _The rocket's maiden flight ended in a spectacular success._
   - _Observers timed each flight of the migrating geese across the bay._
4. The act of fleeing or escaping from danger or pursuit.
   - Simple: The act of running away from danger.
   - _The army's sudden flight left the city completely undefended._
   - _Their flight from the burning village took them deep into the forest._
5. A continuous series of steps running between one landing and the next.
   - Simple: A set of stairs that runs without a break from one level spot to the next.
   - _A steep flight took us up to the dusty attic._
   - _She climbed three flights to reach her apartment on the top floor._
6. A set of small servings of several beers, wines or other drinks, served together so they can be tasted and compared.
   - Simple: A few small glasses of different drinks, such as beer or wine, served together to taste and compare.
   - _The taproom poured us a flight of four seasonal ales._
   - _He picked a flight of ciders to sample before choosing a pint._
8. A spell of imaginative or fanciful thinking.
   - Simple: A burst of imagination or dreamy thinking.
   - _Her flight of fancy carried her off to imaginary kingdoms._
   - _In a sudden flight of imagination, he pictured the whole city underwater._
7. A unit within an air force, typically made up of several aircraft and their crews.
   - Simple: A small air force unit, usually consisting of several aircraft and their crews.
   - _The squadron leader commanded a flight of six fighters._
   - _Her flight was scrambled to intercept the incoming bombers._
9. The curving path through the air taken by an arrow or other projectile.
   - Simple: The curved path of an arrow or another object shot or thrown through the air.
   - _The archer watched the flight of her arrow arc toward the target._
   - _A sudden crosswind altered the flight of the javelin._
10. A group of birds flying together as a single flock, used especially of doves and swallows.
   - Simple: A group of birds, such as doves or swallows, flying together.
   - _A flight of swallows wheeled above the chimney before settling._
   - _The keeper released a flight of doves at the start of the ceremony._
11. One of the feathers or fins fitted to the back of a dart or arrow to keep its path through the air steady.
   - Simple: A feather or small fin at the back of a dart or arrow that helps it fly straight.
   - _He replaced the worn flight on his favorite dart before the match._
   - _A damaged flight can send an arrow veering off course._
12. The pace, trajectory, and drift that a spinning ball takes on as it travels through the air.
   - Simple: The way a spinning ball moves through the air, including its speed, path, and drift.
   - _By varying the flight, the spinner kept the batsmen guessing all afternoon._
   - _The captain praised the subtle flight that earned three quick wickets._
14. A group of canal locks set only a short distance apart from one another.
   - Simple: A series of canal locks built close together so boats can climb a slope.
   - _The famous flight raises boats more than two hundred feet over a single hillside._
   - _It took the narrowboat most of the morning to work up the flight of sixteen canal locks._

## Verb

13. To throw, kick or bowl a ball so that it travels higher and more slowly through the air (in cricket, usually with extra spin).
   - Simple: To throw, kick or bowl a ball so it goes higher and slower through the air.
   - _The midfielder loves to flight the ball into the box for tall strikers._
   - _Spin bowlers who flight the ball invite the batter to come down the pitch and attack._

## Adjective

15. Moving, or able to move, with great speed. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: Very fast and quick-moving.

## Other meanings

- (noun) A floor of a building reached by stairs or an escalator.
- (noun) An advertising campaign that runs for a fixed length of time.
- (noun) A folded sheet of paper shaped to glide through the air; a paper airplane.
- (noun) The helical ridge or blade of material that makes up a screw's thread.
- (noun) A numbered subclass of a warship class that marks step-by-step improvements to the original design.

## Origin

**Meanings 1–3, 5–15** — From Middle English flight, from Old English flyht, from Proto-West Germanic *fluhti, derived from *fleuganą ("to fly"), which goes back to the Proto-Indo-European root *plewk- ("to fly"), an enlargement of *plew- ("flow"). It can be analyzed as fly + -t, and is cognate with Dutch vlucht and German Flucht.
**Meaning 4** — Proto-West Germanic *fluhti, from *fleuhaną ("to flee"), gave Old English flyht and then the Middle English word; it can be read as flee + -t. Dutch vlucht and German Flucht are cognates.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/flight (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).