to burn unsteadily; shine with a wavering light: The candle flickered in the wind and went out.
to move to and fro; vibrate; quiver: The long grasses flickered in the wind.
Ophthalmology. the visual sensation of flickering that occurs when the interval between intermittent flashes of light is too long to permit fusion.
gaslightingRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
1. flare, flash, gleam, shimmer.
any of several American woodpeckers of the genus Colaptes, having the underside of the wings and tail brightly marked with yellow or red and noted for taking insects from the ground as well as trees.
A pivotal moment comes when Amir admits he felt more than a flicker of pride when fanatics attacked the Twin Towers.
Sunday saw a feast of NBA action with the Chicago Bulls toppling the Heat and a flicker of Linsanity down in Houston.
The flicker of candles and flashlights could be seen through some apartment windows.
And suddenly, he was a stranger, a man who looked at me blankly from his hospital bed, no flicker of recognition.
The dark flush showed how quickly his haughty spirit responded to the flicker of the lash.
It was but a flicker of truth—dashed out the next second by a blow of indignant will.
“Oh,” said Mrs. Flicker to her husband, as she swallowed the six hundred-and-forty-eighth Ant since sunrise.
All their united efforts would not succeed in causing the light of a candle to flicker.
And you put her in charge of an invalid without a flicker of doubt: because you trust women.
Old English flicorian "to flutter, flap quickly and lightly," originally of birds. Onomatopoeic and suggestive of quick motion. Sense of "shine with a wavering light" is c.1600, but not common till 19c. Related: Flickered; flickering.
"woodpecker," 1808, American English, possibly echoic of bird's note, or from white spots on plumage that seem to flicker as it flits from tree to tree.
1849, "wavering, unsteady light or flame;" 1857 as "a flickering," from flicker (v.).