verb (used without object), flit·ted, flit·ting.
- to move lightly and swiftly; fly, dart, or skim along: bees flitting from flower to flower.
- to flutter, as a bird.
- to pass quickly, as time: hours flitting by.
- Chiefly Scot. and North England.
- to depart or die.
- to change one’s residence.
verb (used with object), flit·ted, flit·ting.
- Chiefly Scot. to remove; transfer; oust or dispossess.
noun
- a light, swift movement; flutter.
- Scot. and North England. a change of residence; instance of moving to a new address.
- Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. a contemptuous term used to refer to a male homosexual.
verb flits, flitting or flitted (intr)
- to move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart
- to fly rapidly and lightly; flutter
- to pass quickly; fleeta memory flitted into his mind
- Scot and Northern English dialect to move house
- British informal to depart hurriedly and stealthily in order to avoid obligations
- an informal word for elope
noun
- the act or an instance of flitting
- slang, mainly US a male homosexual
- British informal a hurried and stealthy departure in order to avoid obligations (esp in the phrase do a flit)
- See moonlight flit
c.1200, flutten “convey, move, take, carry away, go away,” perhaps from Old Norse flytja “to remove, bring.”
Theire desire … is to goe to theire newe masters eyther on a Tewsday, or on a Thursday; for … they say Munday flitte, Neaver sitte. [Henry Best, farming & account book, 1641]
Related: Flitted; flitting. As a noun, from 1835.