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flittern

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

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See also: Flittern

English

Noun

flittern (countable and uncountable, plural flitterns)

  1. (obsolete, dialect) The bark obtained from young oak trees.
  2. (obsolete, dialect) A young oak tree.
    • 1857, William Fordyce, The History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham:
      In August, 1851, 7,600 oak flittern trees and poles were sold by auction

German

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈflɪtɐn/
  • Audio (Germany (Berlin)):(file)

Etymology 1

Middle High German flettern, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *flutrōną, frequentative of *flutōną (“to float”). Probably related to Low German fluttern. Cognate with English flutter and related to English float.

Verb

flittern (weak, third-person singular present flittert, past tense flitterte, past participle geflittert, auxiliary haben)

  1. (archaic) to glisten, sparkle
    Synonyms: glänzen, flimmern
    • 1782, Friedrich Schiller, Morgenfantasie:
      Wie silberfarb flittern / Die Wiesen, wie zittern / Tausend Sonnen im perlendem Thau!
      Like silvern the meadows glisten / How jittern there are thousand suns in pearly dew!
  2. (obsolete) to flutter
    Synonym: flattern
  3. (obsolete) to laugh, to giggle
    Synonym: kichern
  4. (obsolete) to fawn, to flatter
    Synonyms: kosen, schmeicheln, flattieren
Conjugation
Conjugation of flittern (weak, auxiliary haben)
More information infinitive, present participle ...

1Rare except in very formal contexts; alternative in würde normally preferred.

Composed forms of flittern (weak, auxiliary haben)
More information perfect, singular ...
Derived terms

Etymology 2

Back-formation from Flitterwochen (“honeymoon”).

Verb

flittern (weak, third-person singular present flittert, past tense flitterte, past participle geflittert, auxiliary haben)

  1. (colloquial, humorous) to honeymoon
    • 2011, Birgit Hasselbusch, Flirt-Angriff, Rowohlt, →ISBN:
      «Will ja nur nicht, dass du mir eine Ansichtskarte schickst mit den Worten: Wir flittern gerade zwischen Monaco und St. Tropez. Mia und Olivier oder so.»
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)
Conjugation
Conjugation of flittern (weak, auxiliary haben)
More information infinitive, present participle ...

1Rare except in very formal contexts; alternative in würde normally preferred.

Composed forms of flittern (weak, auxiliary haben)
More information perfect, singular ...

Further reading

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