Flīght, n.
(flīt), n. [A-S. fliht, flyht, a flying, from fleógan, to fly, flyht, a fleeing, from fleóhan, fleón, to flee; O. H. Ger. fluht, N. H. Ger. flucht, Sw. flykt, a fleeing, Ger. flug, Sw. flygt, a flying, D. vlugt, Dan. flugt, a fleeing or flying.]
Sense 1. The act of fleeing; the act of running away, to escape danger or expected evil; hasty departure.
Pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. Matt. xxiv. 20.
Fain by flight to save themselves. Shak.
Sense 2. The act of flying; a passing through the air by the help of wings; volitation; mode or style of flying.
Like the night-owl’s lazy flight. Shak.
Sense 3. Lofty elevation and excursion; a mounting; a soaring; as, a flight of imagination or ambition; in a bad sense, extravagant sally; excursion; wandering; as, a flight of folly.
Could he have kept his spirit to that flight, He had been happy. Byron.
His highest flights were indeed far below those of Taylor. Macaulay.
Sense 4. A number of beings or things passing through the air together; especially, a flock of birds flying in company; the birds that fly or migrate together; the birds produced in one season. “Swift flights of angels ministrant.” Milton. “A flight of arrows.” Swift.
Like a flight of fowl Scattered by winds. Shak.
Sense 5. A reach of steps or stairs, from one landing to another.
Sense 6. A long, light, feathered arrow. [Obs.]
Not a flight drawn home E’er made that haste that they have. Beau. & Fl.
Sense 7. The husk or glume of oats.
To put to flight, to turn to flight, to compel to run away; to force to escape.
Synonyms—Pair; set. See PAIR.