flute 
2. In organ-building, a stop with stopped wood- 
en pipes, having a flute-like tone, usually of four- 
foot pitch. The number of vuleiieB IB very great : tiny 
arc usually named di-seriptively, us Jliilr d'uiimur. jl/'l,' 
tinnii'ii/i'itu 1 , (/'7'/"Y-//"/c, etc. 
3. In arch., one of a series of curved furrows, 
usually semicircular in plan, of which each is 
separated from the next by a narrow fillet. 
When such flutes are partially tilled up l>y a smaller con- 
vex-curved molding, they are said to be cabled. In an- 
cient architecture the mite is used in the Ionic, Composite, 
Corinthian, and Konian Doric orders, but never in the 
Greek Doric. Compare channel. 
The columns, plain and with twisted flutes, . . . have 
capitals such as we might look for in much earlier Roman- 
esque. E. A. Freeman, Venice, p. 255. 
4. A similar groove in any material, as in a 
woman's ruffle. 
If It [a drop of liquid] be instantaneously illuminated by 
electric sparks, the separate vibration forms will be seen 
presenting half as many beads ILM\ flutes as are presented 
when the images are superposed through the employment 
of a continuous light. Encyc. Brit., VIII. 729. 
5. In decorative art, a concave depression rela- 
tively long and of any form, the sides not neces- 
sarily parallel. Compare gadroon. 
Flutes, beads, and small leaves in furniture carving. 
Soc. Arty Sep., Exhibit, 1867, p. 55. 
6. A kind of long, thin French roll. 7. A 
shuttle used in tapestry-weaving. A separate 
shuttle is employed for each color of which the 
woof is composed. 8. A tall and very narrow 
wine-glass, used especially for sparkling wines. 
Also called flute-glass. 
For elles of beere, flutes of canary 
That well did wash downe pasties-mary. 
Locelace, Lucasta (1649). 
Dactylic flute. See dactylic. Nason flute, in the old- 
er organs, a stop of covered pipes, of a soft and delicate 
tone. Nose-flute, a kind of flute played by the nose, 
used among the South Sea islanders. C. W. Stoddard. 
Octave flute, OTflauto piccolo. See piccolo. 
flute 1 (flot), i>.; pret. and pp. fluted, ppr. fluting. 
[= F. fluter = Pr. flautar = Pg. frautar (= I). 
fluiten = LG. flatten, fleiten = "MSGr.flmten, flou- 
ten = Gr.floten = Dan.flojte) ; from the noun, but 
the verb in OF. is the original of the noun. See 
flouft, the earlier form of flute*.~] I. intrans. 
To play on a flute ; produce a soft, clear note 
like that of a flute. 
To him who sat upon the rocks 
And fluted to the morning sea. 
Tennyson, To E. L., on his Travels in Greece. 
The birds that fluted on the blossoming bough. 
R. Buchanan, N. A. Kev., CXL. 453. 
II. trans. 1 . To play or sing softly and clear- 
ly in notes resembling those of a flute. 
Knaves are men 
That lute and flute fantastic tenderness. 
Tennyson, Princess, iv. 
2. To form flutes or grooves in, as in a ruffle. 
See gauffer. 
The cost of fluting one of the columns of the temples, 
as calculated by Rangabe from the entries, was 400 
drachma?. C. T. Newton, Art and Archffiol., p. 112. 
flute 2 (flot), n. [< F. flute = Sp. flanta, a store- 
ship, < D. fluit (fluit-schip), Sw.flojt, LG. fleute, 
a kind of three-masted trading-vessel, with a 
narrow stern; of. D. vlot, a raft, float, etc.: 
see float, .] A long vessel or boat, with flat 
ribs or floor-timbers, round behind and swell- 
ing in the middle. 
I assumed the responsibility of sending thither two flutes 
(small vessels), which crossed the bar with sails set. 
Gayarre, Hist. Louisiana, I. 279. 
Armed in flute or en flute, a phrase formerly applied 
to a vessel otdy partially armed. 
flttte-a-bec (fliit'a-bek' ), n. [F. : flute, flute ; a, 
with ; bee, beak.] A kind of direct flute. See 
flutel, 1. 
flute-bird (flot'berd), n. A name of the piping 
crow, Gymnorhina tibicen. 
flute-bit (flot'bit), n. A bit used for piercing 
holes in hard woods, such as those of which 
flutes are made. See bit*, 5. 
fluted (flo'ted), p. a. [Pp. of flute*-, V. t.~\ 1. 
In music, fine ; clear and mellow ; flute-like : as, 
fluted notes. 2. Grooved; furrowed; orna- 
mented or characterized by a series of flutes : 
as, a fluted column; a fluted ruffle. 
If fluted with as many as the Ionic, half as deep as large. 
Evelyn, Architects and Architecture. 
Specifically (a) In entom., having parallel grooves or 
depressions running in a longitudinal direction. (6) In 
armor, ornamented with ridges, corrugations, and the like, 
which in some cases added also to the utility of the piece 
as giving greater strength. Suits of armor of the six- 
teenth century, both Italian and German, are often rich- 
ly tinted. See rut in next column. --Fluted drill. See 
drilt^. Fluted scale, in ?nfow..,same as cushion-scale. 
Fluted spectrum, in optics. See spectrum. 
Fluted Dossifcre or Back- 
2291 
flute-glasst (flot'glas), . 
[= D. fluit-glaxs ; as flute 1 
+ glaxs."] A long or ta 
glass: same us flute*, 8. 
Bring two fluti'-ttlirxM'x, and 
some stools, ho! We'll have th 
ladies' health. 
Drydt'n, sir Martin Mar-all. 
flutemouth (flot'mouth), n. 
A fish of the family Fistu- 
lariidte; a pipe-fish. 
flutenist (flo'ten-ist), . [= 
G. flotemst ="Dan. flojten- 
ist; equiv. to flutist, q. v.] 
A flute-player; a flutist. 
[Bare.] 
These village-known cheeks that 
in country listes 
Were fencers' men, these some- 
times flutenists, 
Beare office now. fe<=- {S m d /><;'; ; 
Sir H. Stapleton, tr. of Juvenal, gS4h.=) 
[iii. 42. 
flute-player (flo't'pla/er), 1. A player or 
performer upon the flute ; a flutist. 
This eminent contrapuntist [Kuhlau] devoted nearly the 
whole of his short life to Flute compositions. ... All 
amateur flute-player of position employed him constantly 
and liberally in writing them. Grove, Diet. Music, I. 637. 
2. A South American wren of the genus Cypho- 
rinus, as C. cautans : so called from its note. 
fluter (flo'ter), n. [< flute* + -er*. Ci.flouter*.] 
1. One who plays on the flute; a flute-player. 
At Mr. Debasty's, I saw, in a gold frame, a picture of a 
fluter playing on his flute, which, for a good while, I took 
for painting, but at last observed it was a piece of tapestry. 
Pepys, Diary, II. 399. 
2. One who makes grooves or flutes. 
flute-shrike (flot'shrik), n. A shrike of the ge- 
nus Laniarius, as L. aithiopieus. 
flute-stop (flot 'stop), n. [See flute*, n., 2.] 
Same as flue-stop. 
flutet, n. Same as galoubet. 
flute-work (flot'werk), n. Same as flue-work. 
fluther (fluTH'er), n. [Sc., prob. a variation of 
flutter, q. v.] 1. Hurry; bustle. 2. Confus- 
ing abundance. 
flutina (flo-te'na), n. [< flute* + -ina*. Cf. 
flautino.'] A musical instrument closely resem- 
bling the accordion. 
fluting (flo'ting), n. [ Verbal n. of flute*, v.] 1. 
The act of playing on the flute, or the sound 
made by such playing ; a flute-like sound. 
Clearly the crystal flutings fall and float. 
R G. Roberts, A Secret Song. 
2. The act of forming a groove or furrow. 3. 
A groove or furrow ; fluted work; a flute : as, 
the flutings of a column, or of a woman's ruffle. 
For what purpose of spite or interest were those vast 
columns in the very flutings of which a man can stand 
with ease felled like forest pines? 
J. A. Syrnondx, Italy and Greece, p. 191. 
4. One of the longitudinal channels in a screw- 
tap by which a cutting edge is given to the 
thread. 
fluting-cylinder (flo'ting-sil"in-der), n. One of 
a pair of corrugated cylinders used in the flut- 
ing-machine. 
fluting-iron (flo'- 
ting-I"ern), n. A 
device for making 
flutes in a fabric or 
article of dress, as 
a ruffle. 
fluting-lathe (flo'- 
ting-laTH), n. Same 
usfluting-machine, 2. ' Fluting . iron 
fluting-machine 
(flo'ting-ma-shen"), n. 1. A machine for crimp- 
ing or corrugating sheet-metal by bending it 
between corrugated cylinders called fluting- 
cylinders. 2. A wood-turning machine for 
forming twisted, spiral, and fluted balusters, 
etc. It acts as a lathe, advancing the wood under re- 
volving cutters while giving it a spiral motion or rifled 
advance. Also called flutinrf-lathe. 
fluting-plane (flo'ting-plan), n. In carp., a 
plane used in grooving flutes. 
flirting-scissors (flo'ting-sis"orz), n. pi. A scis- 
sors-shaped implement for fluting or crimping 
linen, etc. It has small cylindrical fingers, one of which 
is hollow to hold a heated iron. When the scissors are 
Fluting-scissors. 
fluttery 
closed, this heated finger forces the cloth between the 
tun other tinkers, thus forming a flute. 
flutist (flo'tist), n. [= F. flutiste = Sp. flautista 
= Pg. frautista = It. flautixtu = Sw. flojtist; as 
flute* + -ist.] A performer on the flute ; a flute- 
player. 
flutter (flut'er), v. [< ME./otere M, flutter, float, 
< AS. flnterian, flotorian, flutter (once of the 
heart, otherwise only in glosses), flutter or fly 
before (L. prtevolare), float about CL.fluetibus 
ferri), appar. a freq. verb formed fromflotian, 
float, fleotan (pp. *flotcn), fleet, float. Cf. LG. 
fluttem, also fl udder n, flutter, as a bird. Simi- 
lar words of different origin are OD. vlederen, 
vledderen = OHG. fledaron, MHG. vledern, vla- 
dern, G. fladern, usually flattern, flutter, = D. 
fladderen, hover, E. flatter 2 , flitter 2 , etc. : see 
flatter 2 , flitter 2 , flittermouse.~] I. intrans. 1. 
To float; undulate; fluctuate. 
There contynued suche a calme that we made right lyt- 
ell spede, but laye and flotred in the see right werely by 
reason of the sayd tedyous calme. 
Sir R. Guyl/orde, Pylgrymage, p. 67. 
2. To move up and down or to and fro in quick 
irregular motions; vibrate, throb, or move 
about rapidly or variably ; hover or waver in 
quick motion. 
The old Eagle flutters in and out, 
To teach his yong to follow him about. 
Sylvester, tr. of Du Bartas's Weeks, i. 7. 
Like swallow's tail, in shape and hue, 
Fluttered the streamer glossy blue. 
Scott, Marmion, i. 8. 
3. To be in agitation; fluctuate in feeling; be 
in uncertainty; hang on the balance. 
How long we fluttered on the wings of doubtful success. 
Houvll, Vocall Forrest. 
4f. To be frivolous or foppish; play the part 
of a beau of the period; fly from one thing 
to another. 
Wou'd it not make any one melancholy to see you go 
every Day fluttering about abroad, whilst I must stay at 
home like a poor lonely sullen Bird in a Cage ? 
H'ycherley, Country Wife, iii. 1. 
No rag, no scrap of all the beau or wit, 
That once so fluttered, and that once so writ. 
Pope, Dunciad, ii. 120. 
II. trans. 1 . To move in quick irregular mo- 
tions; agitate; vibrate: as, a bird fluttering its 
wings. 2. To cause to flutter; disorder; throw 
into confusion. 
Like an eagle in a dove-cote, I 
Fluttered your Volscians in Corioli. 
Shak., Cor., v. 5. 
My hopes are fluttered as my present fortunes. 
Fletcher, The Pilgrim, iv. 2. 
flutter (flut'er), n. [< flutter, .] 1. Quick and 
irregular motion, as of wings ; rapid vibration, 
undulation, or pulsation : as, the flutter of a fan 
or of the heart. 
Set the grave councils up upon their shelves again, and 
string them hard, lest their various and jangling opinions 
put their leaves into a flutter. 
Milton, On Def. of Humb. Remonst. 
She . . . expressed her inmost sensations by the butter- 
Hy flutter of her Fan. Tr. of Uzanne's The Fan, p. 60. 
2. Agitation; confusion; confused or excited 
feeling or action. 
A stately, worthless animal, 
That plies the tongue, and wags the tail, 
All flutter, pride, and talk. Pope, Artemisia. 
There is no doubt their talk would raise a flutter in a 
modern tea-party. 
R. L. Stevenson, Some Gentlemen in Fiction. 
3. A flow of mingled water and steam from the 
gage-cocks of a steam-boiler. This occurs in 
locomotives when the boiler primes, or works 
water into the cylinders. 
To use a phrase employed by practical men, the priming 
or foaming of the boiler may be known by the "flutter" 
of the gauge-cocks. Forney, Locomotive, p. 487. 
flutterer (flut'er-er), w. One who flutters ; one 
who causes something to flutter. 
Until the handkerchief flutterer was no longer seen. 
Harper's Mag., LXV. 588. 
flutteringly (flut'er-ing-li), adv. In a fluttering 
manner. 
flutterment (flut'er-ment), n. [< flutter + 
-ment.~\ Same && flutter, 2. [Local, TJ. S.] 
The' wuz a consid'able flutterment in the neighbor- 
hoods. J. C. Harris, Harper's Mag., LXXVI. 707. 
flutter-wheel (flut'er-hwel), n. A water-wheel 
of moderate size placed at the bottom of a 
chute : so called from its rapid motion, 
fluttery (flut'er-i), a. [< ME. flotery, < floteren, 
flutter.] Fluttering; wavering; waving; apt 
to flutter. 
With flotery herd, and rugged asshy heeres (hair). 
Chaucer, Knight's Tale, 1. 2025. 
A light fluttery material. 
J. Hewitt, Ancient Armour, I. 341. 
