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View synonyms for

flicker

1

[flik-er]

verb (used without object)

  1. to burn unsteadily; shine with a wavering light; blink on and off.

    The candle flickered in the draft and went out.

    Synonyms: , , , , ,
  2. to move to and fro; vibrate; quiver.

    The long grasses flickered in the wind.

  3. to flutter.

    Her eyelids flickered, the only sign she'd been startled.

  4. to appear or occur briefly.

    A smile flickered across his face.



verb (used with object)

  1. to cause to flicker.

    She flickered the lights quickly to attract their attention.

noun

  1. an unsteady flame or light.

    A dim flicker of lamplight was all that illuminated the room.

  2. a flickering movement.

    The flicker of the snake's tongue was hypnotizing.

  3. a brief occurrence or appearance.

    The thought of reinforcements gave them a flicker of hope.

  4. Slang.Often flickers flick.

  5. Ophthalmology.the visual sensation of flickering that occurs when the interval between intermittent flashes of light is too long to permit fusion.

flicker

2

[flik-er]

noun

  1. any of several American woodpeckers of the genus Colaptes, having the underside of the wings and tail brightly marked with yellow or red and noted for taking insects from the ground as well as trees.

flicker

1

/ ˈڱɪə /

verb

  1. (intr) to shine with an unsteady or intermittent light

    a candle flickers

  2. (intr) to move quickly to and fro; quiver, flutter, or vibrate

  3. (tr) to cause to flicker

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. an unsteady or brief light or flame

  2. a swift quivering or fluttering movement

  3. a visual sensation, often seen in a television image, produced by periodic fluctuations in the brightness of light at a frequency below that covered by the persistence of vision

  4. (plural) a US word for flick 2

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

flicker

2

/ ˈڱɪə /

noun

  1. any North American woodpecker of the genus Colaptes , esp C. auratus ( yellow-shafted flicker ), which has a yellow undersurface to the wings and tail

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • flickeringly adverb
  • flickery adjective
  • unflickering adjective
  • unflickeringly adverb
  • ˈڱ adjective
  • ˈڱԲ adverb
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Word History and Origins

Origin of flicker1

First recorded before 1000; Middle English verb flikeren, flekeren, Old English flicerian, flicorian “to flutter”; cognate with Dutch flikkeren

Origin of flicker2

An Americanism dating back to 1800–10; said to be imitative of the bird's note
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Word History and Origins

Origin of flicker1

Old English flicorian ; related to Dutch flikkeren , Old Norse ڱö to flutter

Origin of flicker2

C19: perhaps imitative of the bird's call
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Speaking from his hospital bed, Mr Ramesh said the lights inside the aircraft "started flickering" moments after take off.

From

Six decades later, though, “Dance to the Music” still communicates a sense of boundless joy — even as it puts across a flicker of doubt about going so nice-and-smiley.

From

While I firmly believe moviegoing audiences should be less averse to slow pacing, there’s an almost prideful lack of explanation for the context of images flickering across the screen.

From

All eyes — and cellphones — were focused upward at the flickering white cubes.

From

In an international school in Lisbon, the electricity flickered on and off for a while, then gave up, teacher Emily Thorowgood said.

From

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