flirt

 
Pronunciation: /fləːt/

verb

  • 1 [no object] behave as though sexually attracted to someone, but playfully rather than with serious intentions: she began to tease him, flirting with other men in front of him
  • (flirt with) experiment with or show a superficial interest in (an idea, activity, or movement) without committing oneself to it seriously: a painter who had flirted briefly with Cubism
  • (flirt with) deliberately expose oneself to (danger or difficulty): the need of some individuals to flirt with death
  • 2 [with object] (of a bird) wave or open and shut (its wings or tail) with a quick flicking motion: a moorhen stepped out of the reeds, flirting its white tail
  • [no object, with adverbial of direction] move quickly to and fro with a fluttering motion: the lark was flirting around the site

noun

  • a person who habitually flirts: Jim was an outrageous flirt

Derivatives

flirty

adjective (flirtier, flirtiest)

Origin:

mid 16th century: apparently symbolic, the elements fl- and -irt both suggesting sudden movement; compare with flick and spurt. The original verb senses were 'give someone a sharp blow' and 'sneer at'; the earliest noun senses were 'joke, jibe' and 'flighty girl' (defined by Dr Johnson as 'a pert young hussey'), with a notion originally of cheeky behaviour, later of playfully amorous behaviour