flutter
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To try hard in defence or pursuit of an object. "I’ll have a FLUTTER for it," means I’ll have a good try for it. Also to toss for anything. Probably from the spinning of the coin.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “flutter” mean?
To try hard in defence or pursuit of an object. "I’ll have a FLUTTER for it," means I’ll have a good try for it. Also to toss for anything. Probably from the spinning of the coin.
Is “flutter” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.