Flight (flīt), n. [AS. fliht, flyht, a flying, fr. fleógan to fly; cf. flyht a fleeing, fr. fleón to flee, G. flucht a fleeing, Sw. flykt, G. flug a flying, Sw. flygt, D. vlugt a fleeing or flying, Dan. flugt. √84. See Flee, Fly.]
1. The act of flying; a passing through the air by the help of wings; volitation; mode or style of flying.
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Like the night owl's lazy flight. Shak.
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2. The act of fleeing; the act of running away, to escape danger or expected evil; hasty departure.
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Pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. Matt. xxiv. 20.
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Fain by flight to save themselves. Shak.
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3. Lofty elevation and excursion; a mounting; a soaring; as, “a flight of imagination, ambition, folly”.
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Could he have kept his spirit to that flight,
He had been happy. Byron.
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His highest flights were indeed far below those of Taylor. Macaulay.
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4. A number of beings or things passing through the air together; especially, a flock of birds flying in company; the birds that fly or migrate together; the birds produced in one season; as, “a flight of arrows”. Swift.
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Swift flights of angels ministrant. Milton.
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Like a flight of fowl
Scattered winds and tempestuous gusts. Shak.
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5. A series of steps or stairs from one landing to another. Parker.
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6. A kind of arrow for the longbow; also, the sport of shooting with it. See Shaft. [Obs.]
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Challenged Cupid at the flight. Shak.
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Not a flight drawn home
E'er made that haste that they have. Beau. & Fl.
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7. The husk or glume of oats. [Prov. Eng.] Wright.
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8. a trip made by or in a flying vehicle, as an airplane, spacecraft, or aeronautical balloon.
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9. A scheduled flight8 on a commercial airline; as, “the next flight leaves at 8 o'clock”.
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Flight feathers (Zool.), the wing feathers of a bird, including the quills, coverts, and bastard wing. See Bird. -- To put to flight, To turn to flight, to compel to run away; to force to flee; to rout. -- to take a flight9, to make a trip in an airplane, especially a scheduled flight9.
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Syn. -- Pair; set. See Pair.
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