英和和英

語源

From 中期英語 floteren, from 古期英語 floterian, flotorian (“to float about, flutter”), from Proto-Germanic *flutrōną, frequentative of Proto-Germanic *flutōną (“to float”), equivalent to float +‎ -er (frequentative suffix). Cognate with West Frisian flodderje (“to flutter, beat”), Dutch flodderen (“to flutter, wave”), Low German fluttern, fluddern (“to flutter”), German flittern (“to sparkle, glitter”). More at float.

発音

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA: /ˈflʌtə/
• (General American) IPA: /ˈflʌtɚ/, [-ɾɚ]
• 韻: -ʌtə(ɹ)
• ハイフネーション: flut‧ter

動詞

flutter (third-person singular simple present flutters, present participle fluttering, simple past and past participle fluttered)

1. (intransitive) To flap or wave quickly but irregularly.

   flags fluttering in the wind

   • 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, “Under the Ashes”, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC, page 112:

     Long after his cigar burnt bitter, he sat with eyes fixed on the blaze. When the flames at last began to flicker and subside, his lids fluttered, then drooped ; but he had lost all reckoning of time when he opened them again to find Miss Erroll in furs and ball-gown kneeling on the hearth and heaping kindling on the coals, [...]

2. (intransitive) Of a winged animal: to flap the wings without flying; to fly with a light flapping of the wings.
   • 1900 May 17, L[yman] Frank Baum, “The Council with the Munchkins”, in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chicago, Ill.; New York, N.Y.: Geo[rge] M[elvin] Hill Co., →OCLC, page 20:

     Banks of gorgeous flowers were on every hand, and birds with rare and brilliant plumage sang and fluttered in the trees and bushes.

3. (intransitive, aerodynamics) To undergo divergent oscillations (potentially to the point of causing structural failure) due to a positive feedback loop between elastic deformation and aerodynamic forces.
4. (transitive) To cause something to flap.

   A bird flutters its wings.

5. (transitive) To drive into disorder; to throw into confusion.
   • c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene vi], page 30:

     If you haue vvrit your Annales true, 'tis there, / That like an Eagle in a Doue-cote, I / Flatter'd your Volcians in Corioles.

   • 1869 May, Anthony Trollope, “The Honourable Mr. Glacock”, in He Knew He Was Right, volume I, London: Strahan and Company, […], →OCLC, page 104:

     There was a clearness of expression in this, and a downright surrender of himself, which so flattered her and so fluttered her that she was almost reduced to the giving of herself up because she could not reply to such an appeal in language less courteous than that of agreement

6. (intransitive) To be in a state of agitation or uncertainty.
   • c. 1921 (date written), Karel Čapek, translated by Paul Selver, R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots): A Fantastic Melodrama […], Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1923, →OCLC, Act II, page 96:

     It was fluttering with nervousness like a human heart. He was all in a sweat with fear, and—do you know, I don't believe the rascal is a Robot at all any longer.

7. (intransitive, obsolete) To be frivolous.
8. (espionage, slang) To subject to a lie detector test.
   • 1978, Edward Jay Epstein, Legend: The Secret World of Lee Harvey Oswald, page 38:

     This was the first time that Nosenko had been subjected to a lie detector — or what the CIA called fluttering. The Soviet Union did not use such devices for interrogation.

   • 2002, Paul Eddy, Flint’s Law, page 90:

     "Anyway, she cracked and we fluttered her and—" / "Fluttered her?" / "Sorry, gave her a polygraph, a lie detector test. And she passed, more or less, […]

派生語

名詞

flutter (countable and uncountable, plural flutters)

1. The act of fluttering, or multiple acts thereof.

   The bird was too injured to do more than a couple of flutters of its wings.

   I heard the sound of a flutter from under the car like something was loose and waving in the wind.

   Fish move using a flutter of their body to propel themselves through the water.

   Needle flutter is when the needle on a gauge moves back and forth too quickly to easily read a result.

   • 1911, Charles Livingston Bull, Under the Roof of the Jungle: A Book of Animal Life in the Guiana Wilds‎, L.C. Page & Company, page 4:

     In the jungle the day is the time of bird song, nest building, the hum of insects, the flutter of butterflies. The night is the time of stealthy prowling, of lightning attack, of fear, of death.

   • 2016, Sclater, P. L., Hudson, W. H., Argentine Ornithology, Volume II (of II) - A Descriptive Catalogue of the Birds of the Argentine Republic‎, Read Books Limited:

     Their flight is rapid, with quick flutters of the wings, which seem never to be raised to the level of the body.

   1. (by extension) The collective flutter of many similar objects.

      Leaf flutter has an effect on the forest floor.

      The flutter of the flock buffeted me.

   2. (by extension) A rustling, whispering or flapping sound, as from a fluttering action or any similar sound.

      I eventually found the source of the flutter, which came from clothes on a clothesline moving with the wind.

      I find the flutter of a campfire to be soothing like a lullaby.

      • 2022, Ian Crouch, A Pyrrhic Victory Volume III — Fate‎, Strategic Book Publishing & Rights Agency, page 367:

        When Cyrus left her there by herself she stood quite still and listened to the sounds, a variety of ticks and tocks, faint beats and flutters.

      • 2015, Abra S.W., A Circus of Brass and Bone‎, Bimulous Books:

        Behind her, she heard the flutter of cards being shuffled back into the pack.

   3. The act of moving a hand fan with a back-and-forth action using flicks of the wrist, so as to produce a graceful wave-like effect.

      The flutter of her fan was elegant.

      • 1876, August Paul, Addison's Influence on the Social Reform of His Age‎, T.G. Meissner, page 55:

        How apt is the flutter of the fan to express the different affections of the belle : there is the angry flutter, the modest flutter, the timorous flutter, the confused flutter etc.

      • 1847, Leight Hunt, Men, Women and Books a Selection of Sketches, Essays, and Critical Memoirs from His Uncollected Prose Writing by Leigh Hunt‎, page 288:

        On the other hand, who ever tires of the names of Oldfield, and Bracegirdle, and Woffington? All the flutters of the fans of two centuries, and all the solid merits of bodices and petticoats, come down to us in their names; chequering Covent Garden like chintz, and bringing along with them the periwigged and scented glories of the Congreves and Steeles.

   4. The rapid back-and-forth motion of the wing of a living organism, distinct from the motion that produces or maintains flight.

      A bird's flutter can play a role in communication.

      Feather flutter is part of the regulation of body temperature in birds.

      • 2024, Anna Gibbs, “‘After you!’ A female bird’s flutter conveys a polite message to her mate”, in Science‎:

        A female bird’s flutter conveys a polite message to her mate

   5. The flapping or waving motion of a fish's fins, which provides propulsion, stabilization and/or maneuvering.
      • 1926, Ernest Bade, Science and Invention‎, volume 17, Experimenter Publishing Company, page 462:

        Then, too, the same flutter is observed when it glides over the crest of a wave, but this probably only occurs when the wind lies in a certain direction from the axis of flight.

      • 2026, Xiangxiang Wang, Hualong Xie and Sirui Li, “Effect of pectoral fin locomotion parameters on fish propulsive performance”, in Engineering Research Express‎, volume 8, number 7:

        the pectoral fins are capable of generating high thrust during flutter

   6. (swimming) The motion of a flutter kick in swimming.

      The flutter of your legs will propel you through the water, when you execute a proper flutter kick.

      • 1879, Sid. G. Hedges, The Boy's Own Paper‎, volume 45, Leisure House Office, page 66:

        'The body is propelled, headforemost, by a fluttering" of the legs. This flutter bears some resemblance to the crawl-stroke kick-inverted. The knees are together and toes pointed in line with the legs. From the knees, the legs are, alternately, dropped a few inches and then flashed upwards again. The feet thus continually pass and repass, and the "wedges" of water driven out from between the legs force the body along.

2. A quick and irregular motion or vibration, or multiple such motions.

   The wind-driven flutter of the flag made it hard to see the details of it.

   The flutter of a cat's tail is an involuntary reflex. Tail flutter is part of a cat's body language.

   A candle flame's flutter can be caused by a gentle breeze.

   Palatal flutter is a cause of sleep apnea and snoring.

   • c. 1838, Richard Monckton Milnes, The Forest:

     the chirp and flutter of some single bird

   • 1866., Chatterbox‎, volume XXVI, United States, page 202:

     (A swan) dashed suddenly forward with such a flutter that the water all round was lashed into foam.

   • 1913, Edward Marshall, The Master of the House‎, G.W. Dillingham Company, page 19:

     "I haven't got it, yet," he told her, while she was behind the screen, above which, as she dressed, there now and then were flutters of swung garments. "But I'll find someone. If you're really in earnest about this-you are, aren't you?"

   1. (nautical) The vibration, shaking or flapping of a sail; luffing.

      Even a week flutter can damage your sail. Sail flutter is a major problem.

      • 2021, Sailor Sim, Outward Browned‎:

        He eyed the sail's flutter , a tactic Beatense knew.

      • 2026, S. Williams, Sailing Basics (Points of Sail, Trimming): Harnessing Wind‎, NFT Publishing:

        You will see a tiny flutter, a shiver, a vibration along the luff. That flutter is your friend.

      • 2021, Mike Westin, Olle Landsell, Nina Olofsson, Par Olofsson, Seamanship 2.0‎, Bloomsbury Publishing:

        Flutter is when the leech or foot of a sail is vibrating from the wind

   2. (figurative) A fluctuation in a pattern; a blip in a trend.

      Despite an occasional flutter, the water current still flows in the same direction as always.

      Smoking rates have been going down for a long time, despite a few regional and temporary flutters.

      • 1925, G.L. Miller & Co., edited by Albert Shaw, The American Review of Reviews‎, volume 72, Review of Reviews, page 15:

        Then you need the "buffer of safety"-thirty per cent of your holdings in Miller Bonds - unaffected by the flutters of the market

      • 1909}, De Loss K. Martin, Glenn D. Gillett and Isabel S. Bemis, “Some Possibilities and Limitations in Common Frequency Broadcasting”, in Proceedings of the IEEE‎, volume 15, page 215:

        The complete flutter of the distant signal would probably so entirely destroy its identity that the crosstalk from it would be a substantially unintelligible noise.

   3. (figurative) A transient shift in allegiance.

      The Democratic Party hasn't lost college students, this is just a flutter.

      We've never even seen a flutter in the loyalty of the MacKenzie clan.

   4. A state of agitation, high-energy anxiety or anticipation; a state of being in a fuss.

      Antonym: calm

      She'd been in a flutter since receiving word that her in-laws were on the way.

      • 1733, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Man. […], (please specify |epistle=I to IV), London: […] J[ohn] Wilford, […], →OCLC:

        flutter of spirits

      • 1900, Henry James, The Soft Side The Third Person Chapter 3

        Their visitor was an issue - at least to the imagination, and they arrived finally, under provocation, at intensities of flutter in which they felt themselves so compromised by his hoverings that they could only consider with relief the fact of nobody's knowing.

      • 1820, Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine‎, volume 121, page 526:

        there was no one real drawback to her flutter of excitement and happy anticipation

      • 2024, Carol Marinelli, Bride Under Contract‎, Harlequin:

        He watched confusion start to flicker in her eyes , followed by a flutter of panic.

      • 1888, Benjamin Disraeli, Disraeli's Novels‎, page 109:

        "Oh! I can fancy her flutter! For my part, if there be one character in the world more odious than another, I think it is a fussy woman. Lady, with Lord Cadurcis dining with her, and the new beauty for a niece, must have been in a most delectable state of bustle.

   5. A commotion, ruckus or disturbance.

      Synonym: Thesaurus:commotion

      There was a flutter in the streets in protest.

      • 1928, Charles Francis Stocking, The Identity of Douglas Bain‎, Maestro Company, page 239:

        Flutters of excitement were everywhere apparent.

3. (by extension) A breeze or wind that would cause an item to flutter.
   • 1878, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Poganuc People: Their Loves and Lives‎, page 199:

     little flutters of breeze shook the white hats of the daisies

4. A spasmodic vibration of one or more body parts or the entire body; a shudder.

   He found his eyelid flutters annoying enough to see a doctor about them.

   A flutter ran through her, but she steeled her nerves and continued.

   Synonyms: rumble, spasm, quiver

   • 1907, Journal of Zoöphily‎, volume 14, number 3, Philadelphia: American Anti-Vivisection Society, page 26:

     She had to pick her steps to avoid the flutters of the quivering, bleeding bodies.

   1. The sensation of a rapid and abnormal heart rhythm.

      A flutter left him light-headed until he steadied himself by grabbing the railing.

      • 1890, Pierce Egan, The Wonder of Kingswood Chace‎, page 72:

        a message which Erle received with a flutter of the heart

   2. A feeling of internal movement, which may be idiosyncratic or caused by the movement of a fetus, muscular spasms associated with digestion (or indigestion) or sensations related to menstruation.

      I've been feeling flutters in my belly for three days.

      • 2020, Patty Fischer, The Wind Whistles Wicked‎, Page Publishing Incorporated:

        The vanilla latte he is now drinking is giving him disturbing flutters of a major conga line in his stomach

      • 2026, Johnny Gnall, The Far End‎, FriesenPress, page 145:

        her flutter purred rhythmically with her breathing.

      • 2012, Melissa Andrea, Flutter‎, page 269:

        the influence of the flutter that was connected to Adan was quickly taking a toll on my already weak body

   3. (figurative) A flash of emotion that accompanies an internal sensation, such as a rapid pulsation of the heart or a twinge of internal disquiet; a small burst of emotion that may be felt or expressed; a fleeting feeling or idea.

      Synonyms: twinge, frisson, flicker

      • 1914, Arnold Bennett, The Price of Love‎, Harper & Brothers, page 418:

        Not that she cared twopence for the enormous sum, really, now that concord was established! No, her little flutters of honest remorse were constantly disappearing in the immense exultant joy of being alive and of contemplating her idol.

      • 2013, Linda Skye, A Dance with Indecency‎:

        Elise nodded, fighting the traitorous flutters of excitement in her stomach.

      • 1904, The Loves of Edwy‎, Lothrop Publishing Company, page 239:

        "Well, why did you tell me?" said I softly, to enjoy her flutters of amazement, of dismay.

      The sight of the bear gave him a flutter of terror.

   4. (medicine) An abnormal rapid pulsation of the heart, caused by the too-rapid beating of the upper chambers; the condition of experiencing such a flutter.

      Synonyms: atrial flutter, auricular flutter

      • 1985, Robert Kraus, The Practice of Echocardiography‎, page 143:

        The recording speed is also of importance in detecting flutters of high frequency.

      • (Can we date this quote?), Spineanu Eugenia, Harmony in Flutter: A Comprehensive Exploration of Atrial Flutter - From Molecular Insights to Holistic Health‎:

        Flutter is defined by a rapid and regular atrial rhythm originating from reentrant circuit within the atria.

   5. (medicine) The vibration of a heart valve.
      • 1985, Hugo Spindola-Franco, Robert Eisenberg, Bernard G. Fish, Charles B. Higgins, Richard M. Steingart, John P. Wexler, Radiology of the Heart‎, Springer:

        the flutter of the anterior mitral leaflet is best delineated

   6. (medicine) A contraction caused by synchronous diaphragmatic flutter.
      • 2017, Michael Chiou, BA; María Victoria Herrero; John R. Bach, MD; Jeffrey L. Cole, MD; and Enrique Luis Gonzales, AAS, CRT, RRT, “Treatment of Idiopathic Diaphragm Flutter”, in CHEST‎:

        A 35-year-old woman’s flutter was triggered by increasing the depth of breathing and by (electrical) stimulation of the diaphragm.

5. A physical oscillation.
   1. (uncountable, aerodynamics) An extremely dangerous divergent oscillation caused by a positive feedback loop between the elastic deformation of an object and the aerodynamic forces acting on it, potentially resulting in rapid structural failure.

      wind turbine flutter, propellor flutter, blade flutter, fan flutter, fin flutter, whirl flutter, wing flutter

      • 2007, Transportation Safety Board of Canada, “1.12.12 Age-Related Structures and Materials Degradation”, in Aviation Investigation Report A05F0047, Loss of Rudder in Flight, Air Transat Airbus A310-308 C-GPAT, Miami, Florida, 90 nm S, 06 March 2005‎, archived from the original on 23 July 2021, page 40:

        The possibility was studied that there might be some unknown phenomenon at work that could cause a reduction in structural stiffness with age. Such a reduction in stiffness could result in a reduced flutter speed and lead to flutter. In 2004, Airbus conducted GVT in support of its MRTT program. The testing was conducted on an aged A310 aircraft (MSN 523) that had accumulated over 28 000 flight hours. This test aircraft had the same design of VTP and rudder as the occurrence aircraft. GVT results found that fin bending and rudder rotation frequencies of the MRTT test aircraft were consistent with those obtained during the original A310-300 certification. No indication was found to suggest that stiffness had reduced with age.

      • 2022, Mayank Chetan, Shulong Yao, and D. Todd Griffith, “Flutter behavior of highly flexible blades for two- and three-bladed wind turbines”, in Wind Energy Science‎:

        In this work, we introduce a comprehensive evaluation of flutter behavior including classical flutter, edgewise vibration, and flutter mode characteristics for two-bladed, downwind rotors.

      • 2026, Tianxing Chen, Kun Guo, Huichao Deng, Yuchen Xia, Hao Luo, Yunlong Li and Xiuwei Tian, “Flutter Analysis of a Morphing Wing Considering Fluid–Thermal–Structure Coupling”, in AIAA Journal‎:

        The investigation reveals that flutter onset is consistently governed by the coupling of the first two structural modes, establishing the primary instability boundary, while a secondary instability pathway involving the third and fourth modes uniquely emerges for the fully extended wing.

   2. A sound created when the throttle body in an engine is closed, which forces air through the turbocharger in the wrong direction, bouncing against the compressor blades, which stalls them.

      Synonyms: compressor surge, turbo flutter

      • 2026, Mohammed Hamed Ahmed Soliman, Turbocharger Diagnostics & Performance Optimization: Boost Control, Failure Analysis, and Tuning for Modern Forced Induction Systems‎, Personal Lean Publictations, page 82:

        If you hear flutter on acceleration, it is dangerous surge.

   3. The shaking (or a judder) of a vehicle caused by the engine surging, stalling or fluctuating in RPM.
      • 2013, Ian Cormack, The Great Ruhawa‎:

        A flutter of the engine, and then it stopped.

   4. (kitesurfing) The vibration of the tailing edge of a kite canopy.
6. A fluctuation in sound, usually as a malfunction in technology.

   Synonym: flicker

   1. A wavering quality in a voice, usually suggesting anticipation, uncertainty or hesitation.
      • 1866, Adeline Dutton Train Whitney, A Summer in Leslie Goldthwaite's Life‎, page 16:

        "I shouldn't have cared for Newport, or the Springs, father, truly," said Leslie, with a little hopeful flutter of eagerness in her voice, "but the real mountains, - O father!"

      • 2002, David B. Coe, Rules of Ascension‎, Tom Doherty Associates, page 127:

        "I want to release you from your oath," he said, a slight flutter in his voice.

   2. A sound caused by the passage of film through a projector, as in an old movie, caused by variable film speed across the sound head.

      A lot of people find the flutter of film to be an annoying distraction.

      • 1916, Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, Journal of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers‎, page 188:

        On the exhibition end, most of the sound heads in use at present slide the film past a stationary sound gate with the result that irregularities in the friction of the film against the gate produce a flutter. As a result of film shrinkage, only one pair of teeth in the pulling sprocket made contact with the film at one time. At the moment the pulling pair of teeth are disengaged from the film a slight slippage of the film is required to bring the next pair of teeth in contact with it. This results in a speed variation known as sprocket-hole modulation. Where a hold-back sprocket is not provided, variations in the tension of the takeup mechanism are transmitted directly to the pulling sprocket with resulting variations in speed.

   3. (audio) The distortion in a cassette recording caused by defects in the tape.

      The flutter is part of the appeal for cassette enthusiasts.

   4. (audio, electronics) The rapid variation of signal parameters, such as amplitude, phase, and frequency, caused by variations in the speed of the playback from a record player.

      I maintain all of the equipment in tiptop condition, so there's no wow or flutter.

      Coordinate term: wow

   5. The sound created by a flutter echo.

      The flutter in this room makes a noticeable ringing sound.

      • 2008, Floyd E. Toole, Sound Reproduction: The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers and Rooms‎, Elsevier:

        To hear a flutter echo, all one needs is a pair of parallel surfaces (and they need not be very large), stand between them, and clap hands. Nowhere else in the vast garden were there any flutters.

   6. The pulsating sound created by the phase distortion caused by the simultaneous playing of two frequencies.

      The two recordings aren't synced up well enough to get rid of that flutter.

   7. The sound distortion created by vibrations in a speaker; speaker flutter.

      I finally solved the flutter from that speaker. The grille was loose.

7. A flicker or fluctuation in light; a type of visual distortion.

   The flutter of the lamplight cast a romantic glow on the room.

   The candle's flutter made it hard to read the book.

   Synonym: flicker

   1. A fluctuation in the brightness of a television or other kind of monitor or screen.

      I hate watching that TV, because of the flutter.

   2. A jumping or flickering effect in a film coming from damage to the film itself or to the projector.

      The flutter on those old movies makes it hard to see the details.

8. A minor speculative endeavor.
   1. (UK) A small bet or risky investment, especially from a rookie gambler.

      I fancied a flutter, and I won eighty pounds on it.

      • 1915, W. Somerset Maugham, chapter 93, in Of Human Bondage:

        "Oh, by the way, I heard of a rather good thing today, New Kleinfonteins; it's a gold mine in Rhodesia. If you'd like to have a flutter you might make a bit."

      • 30 July, 2009, Eurosport, Gray Matter: How will Schu do?

        So with his victory odds currently at 14/1 or 3/1 for the podium, he's still most certainly well worth a flutter […]

   2. A hasty game of cards or similar.

      Do you have enough time for a flutter of Spades?

      • 1900, W.E.W. Collins, A Scholar of His College‎, volume 900, page 151:

        "We have a loo in College every night-of course that is not every night, but most nights-not a big loo at all, you know, but just a small party of our own. I would almost rather we played whist myself, but the other fellows don't like whist, it's too awfully scientific; and at loo, you know, you can have a bit of a flutter. It helps to pass the time after Hall."

9. An object or a set of objects that flutter or move as if fluttering; something reminiscent of fluttering; a depiction of something that flutters or that appears to be fluttering.
   • 1900, Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman, The Love of Parson Lord: And Other Stories, page 25:

     Then he looked from her to some gayer figures moving along the road with flutters of bright streamers and flounces

   • 1924, George Henry Chase, Chandler Rathfon Post, A History of Sculpture‎, page 372:

     As the nudities and mythologies of the sixteenth century lost something of their vogue, the draperies acquired greater significance in the general effect; and the impression of agitation was accentuated by exaggerated flutters of wide-flung expanses of carved stuffs.

   • 1923, Arthur Kingsley Porter, Romanesque Sculpture of the Pilgrimage Roads‎, volume 1, Marshall Jones Company, page 163:

     The flutters of drapery falling from the arms of the two angels in the upper compartment of the ivory, recall those falling from the right-hand arm of the elder to the left in Houvet's Plate 50.

   1. A flurry.

      A flutter of snow covered the landscape in a thin layer of white.

      • 2024, Yasmine Galenorn, A Dream of Snow‎:

        A light flutter of snow fell , and I glanced into the silvery sky, letting the flakes fall on my face.

   2. (collective) A group of butterflies or moths.
      • 1918, Patrick Casey, Terence Casey, The Wolf-cub: A Novel of Spain‎, page 91:

        Instantly a great flutter of butterflies of all sizes and colors lifted in spangled clouds about them.

      • 1901, Country Life‎, volume 40, number July, page 2:

        Gay as a flutter of butterflies and light as a zephyr, these dainty fabrics instantly suggest a wardrobe of sheer delight.

      • 1954, Hubert Van Zeller, Downside By and Large‎, page 277:

        Since this cowl released a flutter of moths and parted at the shoulder as he was getting into it, he decided that it must be his own.

   3. (dated) A feature of clothing intended to flutter, such as flaps, straps, trim, etc.

      On this gown, flutters of red provide a sleek shape.

      • 1928, Parinite, edited by David Remnick, Harold Wallace Ross, Katharine Sergeant Angell White, Rea Irvin, Roger Angell, Tina Brown, William Shawn, The New Yorker‎, volume 4, number 15, page 66:

        A Worth taffeta model in the approved bunched, draped, and long-in-places style has flutters of lace set in the skirt.

      • 1904, Henry James, The Golden Bowl‎, page 99:

        Her flutter--pale disconcerted ghost as she actually was, a broken white flower tied round, almost grotesquely for his present sense, with a huge satin "bow" of the Boulevard--her flutter had been mainly that of ribbons, frills and fine fabrics; all funny, pathetic evidence, for memory, of the bewilderments overtaking them as a bridal pair confronted with opportunity.

   4. A fragment or flash of a color or of light.
      • 1840, Patten Beard, “Peter of the Wild Rose-Tree”, in St. nicholas: A Monthly Magazine for Boys and Girls‎, volume 41, part 2:

        With flutters of white showing in his big blue-gray wings, he dropped from twig to twig

      • 1914, John Graver Johnson, Bernard Berenson, Wilhelm Reinhold Valentiner, Catalogue of a Collection of Paintings and Some Art Objects‎, volume 3:

        High up hover a few flutters of rosy creamy cloud.

      • 1966, R. F. Delderfield, A Horseman Riding By‎, Open Road Media:

        His eye was alerted by a flutter of white seen through the snarl of branches between his stump and the Mere, and on looking more closely was surprised to see Mary sitting about a hundred yards below him on a mossy log, opposite the islet.

   5. (figurative) A scrap or fragment of, e.g., rumors, history, sentiment, etc.
      • 2025, Megan Hunter, Days of Light‎, Grove Atlantic:

        she had heard stories about him, flutters of talk through open doors.

      • 1910, New Zealand House of Representatives, Appendix to the Journal of the House of the Representatives‎, New Zealand, page 5:

        flutters of information on the subject.

      • 1901, John Morley, editor, English Men of Letters‎, volume 30:

        Yet in that February there were still some flutters of song, one of which was, Hey for the Lass wi' a Tocher, written in answer to Thomson's beseeching inquiry if he was never to hear from him again.

      • 1930, Journal of the Town Planning Institute of Canada‎, volumes 8-9, Town Planning Institute of Canada, page 24:

        In a number of other towns there are flutters of town planning interest which ought to be utilized by the city councils and translated into programs, but city councils generally do not seem to be alive to the importance of the movement.

派生語