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Flicker

//ˈflɪkə// name, noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A surname.
Noun
  1. 1
    An unsteady flash of light. countable, uncountable

    "the flicker of the dying candle"

  2. 2
    Any of certain small woodpeckers, especially of the genus Colaptes. US
  3. 3
    One who flicks.
  4. 4
    the act of moving back and forth wordnet
  5. 5
    A short moment. countable, figuratively, uncountable

    "a flicker of hope"

Show 3 more definitions
  1. 6
    Ellipsis of channel flicker (“remote control”). abbreviation, alt-of, colloquial, ellipsis
  2. 7
    North American woodpecker wordnet
  3. 8
    a momentary flash of light wordnet
Verb
  1. 1
    To burn or shine unsteadily, or with a wavering light. intransitive

    "The shadows flicker to and fro."

  2. 2
    move back and forth very rapidly wordnet
  3. 3
    To keep going on and off; to appear and disappear for short moments; to flutter. intransitive

    "A strong desire to smash up everything in the room kept flickering in his head."

  4. 4
    flash intermittently wordnet
  5. 5
    To flutter or flap. ambitransitive

    "And flickering on her nest made short essays to sing."

Show 1 more definition
  1. 6
    shine unsteadily wordnet

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English flikeren (“to flutter”), from Old English flicerian, flicorian (“to flutter”), from Proto-West Germanic *flikurōn. Akin to Saterland Frisian flikkerje (“to flicker”), West Frisian flikkerje (“to flicker”), Dutch flikkeren (“to flicker, flutter”), German Low German flickern (“to light up, flash, flicker”). Compare Old English flacor (“flickering, fluttering”), German flackern (“to flicker, flutter”), Old English flēogan (“to fly”).

Etymology 2

From Middle English flikeren (“to flutter”), from Old English flicerian, flicorian (“to flutter”), from Proto-West Germanic *flikurōn. Akin to Saterland Frisian flikkerje (“to flicker”), West Frisian flikkerje (“to flicker”), Dutch flikkeren (“to flicker, flutter”), German Low German flickern (“to light up, flash, flicker”). Compare Old English flacor (“flickering, fluttering”), German flackern (“to flicker, flutter”), Old English flēogan (“to fly”).

Etymology 3

1808, American English, probably echoic of the bird's call, or from the white spotted plumage which appears to flicker. It is also true that the bird vigorously flicks away treebark, woodchips, and ground detritus while feeding, which may possibly explain the name.

Etymology 4

From flick + -er.

See also for "flicker"

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