Flight

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

• a 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.