📖 F — The English dictionary · page 28

flu — Everyday, meaning 1: An illness caused by a virus that gives you a high temperature, aches, a cough, a sore throat and makes you feel very tired.↗ Example: I stayed home because I had the flu.↗ · Catch your sneeze to stop flu spreading.↗ · I had my flu shot at the doctor's.↗ · Flu season is in winter.↗ · You feel very tired and achy with flu.↗ · Wash your hands to keep flu away.↗

fluctuate — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal) To keep changing, going up and down, especially in amount, level or price.↗ Example: The temperature fluctuated all day.↗ · Prices fluctuate from week to week.↗ · Her mood fluctuates when she is tired.↗ · The river level fluctuates with the tide.↗ · The graph shows how sales fluctuated.↗ · The number of visitors fluctuates in the holidays.↗

fluency — Everyday, meaning 1: Being able to speak, read or write a language easily, quickly and well.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Being able to do something smoothly and confidently, like reading aloud or doing maths facts.↗ Example: Her reading fluency improved with practice.↗ · He speaks with fluency in English and Ukrainian.↗ · Times-table practice builds maths fluency.↗ · Fluency in a new language takes years.↗ · The teacher listened to each child read to check fluency.↗ · Reading aloud every night helps fluency.↗ · Gangazara thought several times of the eloquent way in which the tiger spoke, and admired his fluency of speech.↗

fluent — Everyday, meaning 1: Able to speak, read or write a language easily and well, as in «fluent in French».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Done smoothly and easily without stopping, as in «a fluent reader».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Smooth and graceful, as in «fluent movements».↗ Example: My friend is fluent in English and Polish.↗ · She is a fluent reader who uses lots of expression.↗ · Practise your times tables until you are fluent.↗ · He spoke fluently about his project.↗ · After living in Quebec, Mum became fluent in French.↗ · The dancer's moves were fluent and smooth.↗

fluently — Everyday, meaning 1: Speaking, reading or writing a language easily, smoothly and well.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Moving or working smoothly, without stopping or stumbling.↗ Example: My friend speaks Spanish and English fluently.↗ · By Year 4 most children read fluently.↗ · She played the tune fluently without one mistake.↗ · He explained the answer fluently to the whole class.↗ · After living in Japan, Dad can speak Japanese fluently.↗ · The dancer moved fluently across the stage.↗ · Then they oiled the corners of their mouths so that they might be able to speak more fluently.↗

fluff — Everyday, meaning 1: Fluff is small soft bits of wool, dust, hair or feathers, like the bits in your pocket or under the bed.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Fluff is the soft fur or feathers of a young animal, like a chick or a kitten.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To fluff something (up) means to shake or pat it so it becomes softer and fuller, like a pillow.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: To fluff something means to do it badly or make a mistake, like fluffing your lines in a play.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: Fluff can mean talk or writing with little real meaning.↗ Everyday, meaning 6: A fluff is a quick, puffing shake of a bird's feathers.↗ Example: There's fluff all over your jumper.↗ · Clean the fluff out of the dryer filter.↗ · The chick was covered in yellow fluff.↗ · Fluff up your pillow before you go to sleep.↗ · I fluffed my line in the school play.↗ · We found lots of fluff under the sofa.↗ · The cat's fluff was everywhere.↗ · His report was mostly fluff and not many facts.↗ · I really can't be expected to do two things at once.'↗ And with a fluff of her feathers she pushed the egg into the middle of the nest.↗

fluffy — Everyday, meaning 1: Soft, light and covered with fur, feathers or fine hairs, like a kitten or a chick.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Light and full of air (fluffy clouds, fluffy pancakes, fluffy eggs).↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Not serious or not important (fluffy writing — informal).↗ Example: The chick was small and fluffy.↗ · White fluffy clouds floated across the sky.↗ · Beat the eggs until they are light and fluffy.↗ · My teddy bear is the fluffiest toy I have.↗ · Fluffy wool keeps sheep warm in winter.↗ · These pancakes are so fluffy!↗ · Fluffy fur traps air and keeps animals warm.↗ · But in place of the white and the yolk of the egg, a little yellow Chick, fluffy and gay and smiling, escaped from it.↗

fluid — Everyday, meaning 1: A fluid is a substance that can flow, such as a liquid or a gas.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Fluids often means liquids you drink, like water and juice.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: As an adjective, fluid means moving smoothly and easily, or able to change.↗ Example: Water and air are both fluids.↗ · When you have a fever, drink plenty of fluids.↗ · The nurse checked how much fluid the patient drank.↗ · The dancer's movements were fluid and graceful.↗ · Brake fluid helps a car stop.↗ · Keep cleaning fluids away from little children.↗ · Our plans are still fluid.↗ · The Fox and the Hare are sent in quest of the magic fluid.↗

fluke — Everyday, meaning 1: A fluke is a lucky chance, something good that happened by accident, not because of skill.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A fluke is a flat parasitic worm that can live inside animals or people.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: The flukes are the two flat parts of a whale's tail.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: A fluke is the flat pointed part of an anchor's arm.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: A fluke can also mean the tail fin of a fish.↗ Example: That goal was a total fluke!↗ · Was it skill or a fluke?↗ · Repeat the experiment in case the result was a fluke.↗ · The whale lifted its flukes and dived.↗ · Liver flukes can make sheep ill.↗ · Winning the raffle twice was a fluke.↗ · He passed by fluke, not by revising.↗ · Puddock he swam down the brook, Sir Drake he catched him in his fluke.↗

fluorescent — Everyday, meaning 1: Very bright and seeming to glow, especially colours like bright yellow, orange or green.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Giving out bright light when energy such as ultraviolet light shines on it.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A fluorescent light is a long glass tube light.↗ Example: Wear a fluorescent vest when you cycle.↗ · The highlighter is fluorescent yellow.↗ · Road workers wear fluorescent jackets.↗ · The rock glowed under the UV light because it is fluorescent.↗ · Our classroom has fluorescent lights.↗ · Fluorescent armbands help drivers see you.↗

fluoride — Everyday, meaning 1: Fluoride is a natural mineral that helps make teeth strong and protects them from holes (decay).↗ It is added to most toothpastes and, in many places, to tap water.↗ Example: Use fluoride toothpaste twice a day.↗ · Fluoride helps stop tooth decay.↗ · Spit out the toothpaste, but don't rinse it all away.↗ · Our tap water has fluoride in it.↗ · The dentist painted fluoride on my teeth.↗ · Fluoride makes tooth enamel stronger.↗ · A pea-sized blob of fluoride toothpaste is enough for children.↗ · Do not swallow toothpaste.↗

flush — Everyday, meaning 1: To flush a toilet is to clean it by making water rush through it.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To flush something is to clean or empty it with a lot of water.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To flush is to go red in the face, from heat, embarrassment or being upset.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: A flush is a red colour in the face, or the rush of water in a toilet.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: Flush (adjective) means exactly level with another surface.↗ Everyday, meaning 6: To flush an animal or person out is to make them come out of hiding.↗ Example: Always flush the toilet and wash your hands.↗ · Don't flush wet wipes; they block the pipes.↗ · Close the lid before you flush.↗ · His cheeks flushed when everyone clapped.↗ · The doctor flushed out the cut with clean water.↗ · The shelf must be flush with the wall.↗ · The dog flushed a rabbit out of the bush.↗ · A flush of pride spread over her face.↗ · She flew in excitedly, her face flushed and her dress stained with mud.↗

flustered — Everyday, meaning 1: Flustered means nervous, confused and a bit embarrassed, especially because you are rushed or things are going wrong.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To fluster someone is to make them feel like this.↗ Example: Mum got flustered when she couldn't find the car keys.↗ · The new teacher looked flustered when the projector broke.↗ · I got flustered and forgot my lines.↗ · Don't get flustered, take a deep breath.↗ · The flustered waiter dropped the tray.↗ · The questions flustered him.↗

flute — Everyday, meaning 1: A flute is a musical instrument shaped like a thin tube, played by blowing across a hole near one end and pressing keys or covering holes.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A flute is a tall, thin glass, used for drinks.↗ Example: She plays the flute in the school band.↗ · The flute makes a soft, high sound.↗ · I have flute lessons on Thursdays.↗ · The flute is a woodwind instrument.↗ · A shorter tube makes a higher note on a flute.↗ · The shepherd played a wooden flute.↗ · Grown-ups clinked tall flutes of juice.↗ · But Petru played on his flute, and the giant fell back again.↗

flutter — Everyday, meaning 1: To move wings quickly and lightly, or to fly with quick small movements, like a butterfly.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To move gently and quickly back and forth in the air, like a flag or leaves.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (of the heart) To beat fast and unevenly because of excitement or nerves.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (noun, UK informal) A small bet: «have a flutter on the horses».↗ Everyday, meaning 5: (noun) A state of excitement: «in a flutter».↗ Example: The butterfly fluttered from flower to flower.↗ · The flags fluttered in the wind.↗ · My heart fluttered when they called my name.↗ · Leaves fluttered down to the ground.↗ · Grandad has a little flutter on the Grand National.↗ · The baby bird fluttered its wings but couldn't fly yet.↗ · She was all in a flutter before the show.↗ · But the Eagle, uttering a dolorous cry, fluttered his broad wings and disappeared.↗

fluttering — Everyday, meaning 1: Fluttering means moving quickly and lightly up and down or to and fro, like a butterfly's wings, a flag or falling leaves.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A fluttering feeling, like butterflies in your tummy, is a light nervous feeling.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A fluttering heart beats fast and unevenly.↗ Example: A butterfly was fluttering over the flowers.↗ · Flags were fluttering in the breeze.↗ · Leaves came fluttering down from the trees.↗ · I had a fluttering feeling before my test.↗ · The baby bird was fluttering its wings.↗ · Her eyelashes were fluttering.↗ · Moths kept fluttering round the lamp.↗ · “Why, indeed?” said a Butterfly, who was fluttering about after a sunbeam.↗

fly — Everyday, meaning 1: To fly is to move through the air with wings, like a bird, an insect or a plane.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To fly is to travel by plane, or to make a kite, plane or drone move in the air.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A fly is a small insect with two wings, like a housefly.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: A flag flies when it is up on a pole.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: Time flies when it passes very quickly.↗ Everyday, meaning 6: The fly on trousers is the opening with a zip.↗ Example: A plane flies 300 miles in an hour.↗ · 6 birds fly away from the tree.↗ · 4 more birds fly in.↗ · A frog catches 12 flies.↗ · We flew to Dublin to see my cousins.↗ · Let's fly my kite on the hill.↗ · A fly has 6 legs like all insects.↗ · Time flies when you're having fun!↗ · “Shall we swim or fly, Peter?”↗ · And God said: 'Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let fowl fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.'↗ (Torah GEN.1.20, JPS 1917)↗ · And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and He removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; there remained not one.↗ (Torah EXO.8.31, JPS 1917)↗ · And the LORD did so; and there came grievous swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants' houses; and in all the land of Egypt the land was ruined by reason of the swarms of flies.↗ (Torah EXO.8.24, JPS 1917)↗ · But man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.↗ (Writings JOB.5.7, JPS 1917)↗ · He spoke, and there came swarms of flies, and gnats in all their borders.↗ (Writings PSA.105.31, JPS 1917)↗ · Then again I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and behold a flying roll.↗ (Prophets ZEC.5.1, JPS 1917)↗

flyer — Everyday, meaning 1: A flyer is a small printed sheet of paper advertising an event, shop or service, handed out or put through letterboxes.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A flyer is a person or thing that flies, such as a pilot, a passenger who flies often, or a bird.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (informal) In sport, a flyer is a very fast start, or a very fast runner or player.↗ Example: We handed out flyers for the school fair.↗ · A flyer for a pizza shop came through the letterbox.↗ · Design a flyer to advertise your club.↗ · Amelia Earhart was a famous flyer.↗ · Swifts are amazing flyers that hardly ever land.↗ · The team got off to a flyer and scored in the first minute.↗