Antonyms for flirt
| Grammar : Noun, verb |
| Spell : flurt |
| Phonetic Transcription : flÉœrt |
Definition of flirt
Origin :- 1550s, originally "to turn up one's nose, sneer at," then "to rap or flick, as with the fingers" (1560s). The noun is first attested 1540s, from the verb, with the meaning "stroke of wit." It's possible that the original word was imitative, along the lines of flip (v.), but there seems to be some influence from flit, such as in the flirt sense of "to move in short, quick flights," attested from 1580s.
- Meanwhile flirt (n.) had come to mean "a pert young hussey" [Johnson] by 1560s, and Shakespeare has flirt-gill (i.e. Jill) "a woman of light or loose behavior," while flirtgig was a 17c. Yorkshire dialect word for "a giddy, flighty girl." All or any of these could have fed into the main modern verbal sense of "play at courtship" (1777), which also could have grown naturally from the earlier meaning "to flit inconstantly from object to object" (1570s), perhaps influenced by Old French fleureter "talk sweet nonsense," also "to touch a thing in passing," diminutive of fleur "flower" and metaphoric of bees skimming from flower to flower.
- The noun meaning "person who flirts" is from 1732. The English word also is possibly related to East Frisian flirt "a flick or light blow," and flirtje "a giddy girl." French flirter "to flirt" is a 19c. borrowing from English. Related: Flirted; flirting.
- noun person who makes advances
- verb make advances toward someone
- You will not find him a heavy companion, and I allow you to flirt with him as much as you like.
- Extract from : « Lady Susan » by Jane Austen
- Murmur soft nothings to the women; flirt but don't have favourites.
- Extract from : « It Happened in Egypt » by C. N. Williamson
- You can argue with clever women, but you can't kiss them or flirt with them.
- Extract from : « Changing Winds » by St. John G. Ervine
- Indeed, she had many admirers, and was even what some might call a flirt.
- Extract from : « Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume VI » by Various
- We dragged a bait near him and he went down with a flirt of his tail.
- Extract from : « Tales of Fishes » by Zane Grey
- The gambler, the flirt, the adventurer in every walk, regarded him as a prey.
- Extract from : « Roland Cashel » by Charles James Lever
- Sell three tons of rice and flirt three days with that girl of yours.
- Extract from : « 'Twixt Land & Sea » by Joseph Conrad
- The woman had told her that she was a flirt, had declared that what she did and said was improper.
- Extract from : « Is He Popenjoy? » by Anthony Trollope
- He had acknowledged to himself that she was a flirt, a mass of affectation, and a liar.
- Extract from : « Is He Popenjoy? » by Anthony Trollope
- She is a flirt, and a flirt not only adorable, but worthy of adoration.
- Extract from : « A Simple Story » by Mrs. Inchbald
Synonyms for flirt
Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019