Flight

flight /flaɪt/  noun

  • 1 [noncount]

    a the act of flying : the act of moving through the air by the use of wings

    • the flight of a bee
    • bird in flight[=a bird that is flying]

    b the act of moving through the air or through outer space

    • the flight of a bullet/baseball
    • the flight of a rocket to the moon

    2 [count, noncount] the act of running away in order to escape from danger

    • the flight of refugees

    3 [count]

    a  a journey on an airplane

    • an overnight flight
    • a transatlantic flight
    • a direct/nonstop flight

    b the airplane that is making a journey

    • Our flight leaves at noon.
    • They boarded Flight

    4 [count] a group of similar birds, airplanes, etc., that are flying through the air together

    • flight of geese

    5 [count]  a series of stairs going from one level or floor to another

    • Her apartment is five flights
    • He fell down a flight of stairs.

    flight of fancy also flight of imagination/fantasy

    an idea, story, etc., that shows great imagination but is very unlikely to be true or practical

    • The book is filled with flights of fancy about the future of the computer industry.

    put (someone) to flight formal + old-fashioned

     to cause (someone) to leave or run away

    • The rebels were put to flight by the advancing army.

    take flight

    1 to leave or run away from danger

    • Fearing arrest, they took flight and hid in the mountains.

    2 to begin flying

    • The bird took flight [=took wing] when we tried to approach it.

    3 to begin a period of rapid activity, development, or growth

    • The idea really took flight[=took off] and soon it seemed everyone was copying it.