flight
flight — verb
1. When playing football, a player kicks the ball with control so it rises high, of
When playing football, a player kicks the ball with control so it rises high, often to pass it over other players or reach someone further down the field
Joon flighted the ball over the defender's head and straight to the striker.
flight + ball + over [obstacle] + to [person]
Tamar flighted the free kick into the penalty area from the left wing.
flight + [free kick/cross] + into [area]
From forty yards out, Sumin flighted the ball beautifully towards the goal.
The winger flighted a perfect cross to the far post, where Arjun was waiting.
flight + cross + to [location]
- flight the ball
- flight a cross
- flight a free kick
- flight over the defence
- flight into the box
- flight towards the goal
- pass low
keeping the ball on the ground rather than sending it through the air
Grammar Patterns
flight + the ball + over/towards/into [direction]
Usage Note
Frequently used in football commentary and match reports. The verb implies both height and deliberate control over the ball's trajectory.
Common Mistakes
2. in cricket, to bowl the ball on a high, looping trajectory so that it spins and
in cricket, to bowl the ball on a high, looping trajectory so that it spins and changes direction unexpectedly, making it harder for the batsman to hit
Paloma flighted the ball high, making it dip sharply just before reaching the batsman.
flight + ball + high + dip (effect on batsman)
Élise flighted the delivery with a clever change of pace that fooled the batter completely.
flight + delivery + with [technique/effect]
Tariq flighted the ball so it spun away from the bat and hit the stumps.
Cyrus flighted the ball higher than usual, catching the batsman completely off guard.
flight + ball + higher than usual (unexpected trajectory)
- flight the ball
- flight a delivery
- flight high
- flight with spin
- flight towards the batsman
Grammar Patterns
flight + the ball + [adverbial of manner/high/up]
Usage Note
Almost exclusively used in cricket commentary. The verb describes a deliberate tactic by a slow bowler to deceive the batsman, not merely throwing the ball high.
Common Mistakes
flight — noun
1. a trip that a person takes while sitting inside an aircraft that is moving throu
a trip that a person takes while sitting inside an aircraft that is moving through the air, usually from one city to another
Sana booked a non-stop flight from Taipei to Los Angeles for her summer vacation.
non-stop flight [city] to [city]
The flight to Bangkok was smooth and the cabin crew served hot meals halfway through.
Bao fell asleep before the flight even left the gate and woke up just before landing.
Emily prefers early morning flights because the airport is much quieter at that time.
early morning flight
A direct flight from London to Singapore usually takes about thirteen hours.
direct flight from [city] to [city]
- book a flight
- catch a flight
- direct flight
- long-haul flight
- morning flight
Common Mistakes
2. a particular aircraft that travels from one place to another on a scheduled serv
a particular aircraft that travels from one place to another on a scheduled service, identified by a flight number
Flight CX288 from Hong Kong is expected to land at gate 12 in about ten minutes.
Flight [code] from [city]
All flights were cancelled because of the heavy snowstorm at the airport.
Christopher checked the departure board and saw that his flight was boarding at gate seven.
The flight from Osaka arrived two hours late due to a technical problem with the engine.
flight from [city] arrived [time] late
- catch a flight
- miss a flight
- cancel a flight
- delay a flight
- onboard a flight
- plane
informal; refers to the physical aircraft, not the scheduled service
Usage Note
This sense refers to the aircraft itself as a scheduled service. Distinguish from sense 1, which describes the journey a passenger experiences.
Common Mistakes
3. the action or process of moving through the air, whether by wings, engines, wind
the action or process of moving through the air, whether by wings, engines, wind, or other means
The eagle's flight across the valley was slow and graceful, carried by warm air currents.
flight across [geographical feature]
During the flight of the paper airplane, it spun three full circles before landing on the desk.
flight of [object]
Élise watched the flight of the hot air balloon as it drifted silently above the hills.
A tiny hummingbird can stay in flight while drinking nectar from a flower without landing.
stay in flight
- in flight
- during flight
- smooth flight
- first flight
- take flight
- flying
the gerund form; functionally similar but less common as a standalone noun in this sense
Usage Note
Uncountable when referring to the general concept (e.g., 'the physics of flight'). Countable when describing a specific instance (e.g., 'a short flight across the garden').
4. a number of birds, aircraft, or other flying things that travel together as a si
a number of birds, aircraft, or other flying things that travel together as a single group
A flight of geese flew over the lake in a perfect V shape, honking loudly.
a flight of [birds]
Three flights of fighter jets roared across the sky during the air show performance.
flights of [aircraft]
Rafael counted a flight of swans heading south for the cold winter months.
A flight of pelicans skimmed low over the water, hunting for fish near the shore.
- a flight of geese
- a flight of swans
- a flight of fighter jets
Usage Note
Typically followed by 'of' and a plural noun describing the members of the group. Less common for aircraft than for birds in everyday speech.
5. in cricket, the curved path that the ball follows through the air after being bo
in cricket, the curved path that the ball follows through the air after being bowled slowly, which can make it difficult for the batter to hit
The bowler put a lot of flight on the ball, making it dip late and beat the batsman completely.
put flight on the ball
Tariq watched the flight of the delivery closely, but the spin still took him by surprise.
flight of the delivery
A good slow bowler uses flight to trick the batsman into playing the shot too early.
Esme noticed how the spinner controlled the flight of each ball with small movements of her wrist.
- put flight on the ball
- flight of the delivery
- control the flight
Usage Note
Used almost exclusively in cricket commentary and discussion. Refers specifically to slow bowling — the ball's trajectory is deliberately varied to deceive the batter.
6. the act of getting away quickly from a dangerous, unpleasant, or difficult situa
the act of getting away quickly from a dangerous, unpleasant, or difficult situation
The family's flight from the war zone was long and dangerous, with many checkpoints along the way.
flight from [dangerous place]
Sari described her flight from the burning building as the most frightening moment of her life.
The sudden flight of the crowd surprised the police when the fire alarm went off in the station.
sudden flight of [people]
Layla made a quick flight out the back door when she heard her brother call for help.
- flight from
- take flight
- put to flight
- flight to safety
Usage Note
Often followed by 'from' to indicate the place or situation being escaped. Common in the phrasal idiom 'take flight', which means to run away suddenly.
Common Mistakes
7. the act of defeating an army or group of opponents so thoroughly that they scatt
the act of defeating an army or group of opponents so thoroughly that they scatter and run away in disorder.
The general's dawn attack put the enemy army to flight before they could organise a defence.
put + [army/opponent] + to flight
A single cavalry charge sent the rebel fighters into flight across the open plain.
The king's archers forced the invaders into flight with a rain of arrows from the hilltop.
Historians describe the battle as a complete rout that put three thousand soldiers to flight.
- put to flight
- send into flight
- force into flight
- victory
the opposite outcome for the side doing the routing
Grammar Patterns
put + noun + to flight
send + noun + into flight
Usage Note
This sense appears almost exclusively in the fixed expressions 'put to flight', 'send into flight', or 'force into flight'. It is not used as a free-standing noun outside these patterns.
Common Mistakes
8. the moment when a bird, insect, or aircraft leaves the ground and begins to move
the moment when a bird, insect, or aircraft leaves the ground and begins to move through the air.
The pigeon took flight the moment Christopher stepped onto the balcony.
take flight — sudden departure of a bird
Passengers watched the aircraft's flight from the window as it rose into the grey morning sky.
A flock of starlings took flight together, darkening the sky above the field.
The drone's flight was delayed by a sudden gust of wind just after take-off.
- take flight
- in flight
- a bird in flight
- landing
the opposite act of returning to the ground
Grammar Patterns
take flight
in flight
Usage Note
Commonly used with 'take' ('take flight'), referring to the physical act of rising into the air. 'In flight' describes the state after take-off (e.g. 'a bird in flight'). Do not confuse with sense 9 ('flee') or sense 1 ('an aircraft journey').
9. an act of hurrying away from a dangerous or unpleasant place or situation in ord
an act of hurrying away from a dangerous or unpleasant place or situation in order to reach safety.
The villagers were forced to take flight when the river burst its banks at midnight.
take flight — fleeing a danger
The family's hasty flight from the burning apartment building saved all six of them from harm.
Tariq documented the refugees' long flight across the border during his report for the news channel.
The sound of gunfire sent the crowd into flight towards the nearest shelter.
send + [group] + into flight — cause to flee
- take flight
- hasty flight
- flight from danger
- send into flight
- in flight from
Grammar Patterns
take flight
in flight from + [danger/place]
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 7 (ROUT): sense 7 focuses on defeat from the attacker's perspective ('put to flight'), while sense 9 focuses on the escaping person's perspective ('take flight' / 'in flight from danger'). Distinguish from sense 6 (ESCAPE): sense 6 is a general, abstract concept of escaping or avoiding, whereas sense 9 implies a concrete, hurried departure from a specific place or threat.
Common Mistakes
10. a set of stairs that runs between two levels of a building without any change of
a set of stairs that runs between two levels of a building without any change of direction.
Tamar climbed two flights of stairs because the elevator was out of order.
a flight of stairs — continuous set between floors
The old library has a grand marble flight leading up to the main reading room.
Each flight of steps in the tower had fifteen risers and a small landing at the top.
Sari slipped on the third step of the flight and twisted her ankle badly.
- a flight of stairs
- a flight of steps
- climb a flight
- descend a flight
Grammar Patterns
a flight of + stairs/steps
flight + of + stairs/steps
Usage Note
Always followed by 'of' + 'stairs' or 'steps'. A 'flight' is the segment between two landings — a full staircase may contain multiple flights. This sense is specific to architecture and everyday navigation of multi-storey buildings.
Common Mistakes
11. a small selection of different wines, beers, or other drinks that are served tog
a small selection of different wines, beers, or other drinks that are served together so that people can compare their flavours.
Paloma ordered a flight of four craft beers to taste before choosing one for dinner.
a flight of + [beverages] — tasting selection
The wine bar offers a flight of red wines from Argentina for just twelve dollars.
Cyrus sampled a flight of single-malt whiskies at the distillery tasting event.
The waiter brought a flight of three Italian wines for the couple to share.
- a flight of wines
- a beer flight
- a wine flight
- a whisky flight
- sampling flight
- tasting flight
Grammar Patterns
a flight of + wines/beers/whiskies
Usage Note
Common in bars, restaurants, and tasting rooms. A 'flight' usually contains 3–5 small servings of the same type of drink (e.g. a beer flight, a wine flight, a whisky flight). The drinks are presented together on a board or tray for side-by-side comparison.
Common Mistakes
12. an idea, story, or image that springs from the imagination rather than from real
an idea, story, or image that springs from the imagination rather than from reality or practical thinking — often creative but unlikely to be real.
The architect was called a flight of fancy, but his idea inspired real buildings worldwide.
a flight of fancy — imaginative but impractical idea
Élise wrote a flight of fancy about animals living in a seaside castle with mermaids.
Critics dismissed the novel as a flight of fancy with no connection to real life.
Kwame let his imagination take flight as clouds shaped into dragons above him.
imagination take flight — allow the mind to wander freely
- a flight of fancy
- a flight of imagination
- a flight of fantasy
- take flight (imagination)
- reality
the opposite of imaginative escape
- practicality
focus on what is achievable rather than imagined
Grammar Patterns
a flight of + fancy/imagination/fantasy
Usage Note
Most often used in the set phrase 'a flight of fancy' or 'a flight of imagination'. May carry a mildly critical tone (impractical) or a positive one (creative). The variant 'let one's imagination take flight' is a metaphor derived from this sense.
Common Mistakes
take flight
idiomto suddenly run away from a place or situation, especially because you are in danger or afraid
The rabbits took flight the moment they heard the hunter's footsteps in the forest.
When the shouting started inside the house, the children took flight through the back garden.
in flight
idiomwhile flying through the air; during the time something is flying
The photographer captured the bird in flight just as it opened its wings wide.
Passengers must keep their seatbelts fastened while the aircraft is in flight.
put to flight
idiomto defeat someone completely and force them to run away
The small army put the invaders to flight with a surprise attack at dawn.
Kwame's confident argument put all his critics to flight during the debate.
Belonging to the highest level or best group in a particular activity.
Maya's research team is in the top flight of climate scientists.
Is this university in the first flight for engineering programs?
To cause someone to run away or escape.
The guard dog put the intruder to flight immediately.
Did the sudden noise put the birds to flight?
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
All four words describe travel from one place to another, but they differ in scope and the means of transport. 'Flight' is the most specific — it always means travel by air (a flight from Taipei to Tokyo). 'Trip' is the broadest everyday word; it can be by any transport and often includes the whole experience of visiting a place (a business trip to Osaka, a school trip to the museum). 'Journey' is more general and often emphasises the distance covered or the process of travelling (a long journey across Europe by train). 'Voyage' is reserved for long journeys by sea or through space (a voyage across the Atlantic, a voyage to Mars); it sounds formal and old-fashioned when applied to air travel. In everyday Taiwanese English, you would book a flight, go on a trip to Kenting, make a long journey by high-speed rail, and rarely take a voyage unless on a cruise ship.
Common collocations
Nouns
- flight attendant
- flight deck
- flight path
- flight plan
- flight number
- flight time
- flight crew
- flight safety
- flight delay
- flight cancellation
Adverbs
- the flight departed smoothly / the flight arrived safely
- the bird flew gracefully in flight
- their sudden flight from danger
Phrases
- book a flight
- catch a flight
- miss a flight
- cancel a flight
- take flight
- put to flight
- a flight of fancy
- a flight of imagination
- a flight of stairs / steps
- a flight of wines / beers / whiskies
- in flight
- non-stop / direct / connecting flight
- domestic / international flight
- long-haul / short-haul flight
- first class / business class / economy flight
Prepositions
- flight from [city] to [city]
- flight over [area]
- in flight
- on a flight
- a flight of stairs / birds / wines
Etymology
Modern English 'flight' has two distinct Old English ancestors that converged in spelling. The sense of 'flying through the air' (noun senses 1–5, 8, verb senses 1–2) comes from Old English 'flyht', related to 'fleogan' (to fly) — a Germanic root shared with Dutch 'vlucht' and German 'Flug'. The sense of 'running away / escape' (noun senses 6, 7, 9) comes from a separate Old English word 'flyht' (fleeing), related to 'fleón' (to flee) — cognate with Dutch 'vlucht' and German 'Flucht'. By the Middle English period, both words had come to be spelled identically as 'flight', though their meanings remained distinct. The tasting-selection sense (noun 11) is a metaphorical extension from the idea of a 'flight of birds' (a group flying together) applied to a set of drinks served at once. The staircase sense (noun 10) developed from the idea of a continuous 'course' or 'passage', related to the flowing motion of a flight of stairs.