flight
Travel by airplane
When a person or thing goes through the air in a plane or other aircraft.
to take [a/the] flight to [place]
- Our flight to Paris was delayed by two hours.
- She booked a flight to New York for next week.
- This flight will take approximately three hours.
- The airline offers direct flights to over 50 cities.
- He missed his morning flight because of traffic.
- I have a flight to London tomorrow.
- The flight is very long.
- We will take a flight at 8 p.m.
- My flight is late.
- They are waiting for their flight.
Movement through the air
When something moves through the air without touching the ground.
- The eagle’s flight was graceful and powerful.
- The ball’s flight was interrupted by a tree branch.
- Scientists studied the flight of honeybees.
- The bird is in flight.
- The ball is in flight now.
- We watched the plane’s flight.
Set of stairs between landings
A group of stairs from one floor to another floor or level.
- She ran up two flights of stairs to reach her apartment.
- The office is up one flight from here.
- They carried the boxes down three flights of stairs.
- My room is up one flight of stairs.
- We went down two flights of stairs.
- He walked up a flight of stairs.
Act of escaping quickly
When someone runs away from danger or trouble quickly.
- The prisoners took flight when the guards were distracted.
- His sudden flight from the city surprised everyone.
- They were in full flight when the police arrived.
- The man took flight when he saw the police.
- She made a quick flight from the house.
- They were in flight from danger.
Group of animals in air together
A group of animals flying together in the sky.
- We saw a large flight of geese heading south for winter.
- A sudden flight of bats emerged from the cave at dusk.
- There was a beautiful flight of butterflies over the meadow.
- A flight of birds flew over us.
- We saw a flight of bats at night.
- There is a big flight of geese.
catch a flight
1Board an airplane before departure
To get on an airplane before it leaves to go somewhere.
- I need to leave now if I’m going to catch my flight.
- She barely caught her flight after rushing through security.
miss a flight
1Fail to board airplane before departure
To be too late to get on your airplane before it leaves.
- We missed our flight because of traffic jams.
- He missed his flight and had to wait for the next one.
take flight
1Start flying or escape suddenly
To start flying into the air, or to run away quickly from danger or fear.
- The birds took flight as soon as we approached.
- The thieves took flight when they heard the alarm.
flight attendant
1Aircraft cabin crew member
A person who helps passengers on an airplane during a trip.
- The flight attendant offered me some water.
- The flight attendant demonstrated how to use the life jacket.
- Flight attendants are trained to handle emergencies on board.
- If you need anything, just ask a flight attendant.
- Flight attendants walked down the aisle serving drinks.
flight of fancy
1Unrealistic imaginative idea
An idea or thought that is very imaginative but not realistic.
- Her plan to build a city on Mars was dismissed as a mere flight of fancy.
- The plan was dismissed as a mere flight of fancy.
- He often indulges in flights of fancy during long meetings.
- His novels mix fact with flights of fancy.
- Her theory is interesting, but it may be just a flight of fancy.