Aflight
adj ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 Flying. not-comparable
"1874, Ambrose Bierce (as Dod Grile), “The Legend of Immortal Truth” in Cobwebs, London: “Fun” Office, ca. 1884, p. 114, Then, like a rocket set aflight, / She sprang, and streaked it for the light!"
- 2 Covered or filled (with something flying). not-comparable
"curved attics aflight with / angels"
- 3 Fleeing. not-comparable
"1915, Marvin M. Taylor, “The Roll of the War Drums” in Donald Tulloch (ed.), Songs and Poems of the Great World War, Worcester, MA: Davis Press, p. 17, Like shepherdless sheep from wolves aflight"
- 4 Showing distress, anxiety or other strong emotion. not-comparable, obsolete
"1547, uncredited translator, A Simple, and Religious Consultation by Hermann of Wied, London: John Day, “Of the crosse, and aflictions,” […] when the crosse, and afliction cometh vpon them, their mynde is aflight, it considereth not that the thynges, whiche it suffereth, be the scourges of Goddes wrath,"
Example
More examples"1874, Ambrose Bierce (as Dod Grile), “The Legend of Immortal Truth” in Cobwebs, London: “Fun” Office, ca. 1884, p. 114, Then, like a rocket set aflight, / She sprang, and streaked it for the light!"
Etymology
From a- + flight.
More for "aflight"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.