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Flit vs Alit - What's the difference?

flit | alit |

As nouns the difference between flit and alit

is that flit is a fluttering or darting movement while alit is faith, trust, reliance.

As a verb flit

is to move about rapidly and nimbly.

As an adjective flit

is (poetic|obsolete) fast, nimble.

flit

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A fluttering or darting movement.
  • (physics) A particular, unexpected, short lived change of state.
    • My computer just had a flit .
  • (slang) A homosexual.

    • Verb

  • To move about rapidly and nimbly.
  • * Tennyson
    • A shadow flits before me.
  • * 1912 : (Edgar Rice Burroughs), (Tarzan of the Apes), Chapter 6
    • There were many apes with faces similar to his own, and further over in the book he found, under "M," some little monkeys such as he saw daily flitting through the trees of his primeval forest. But nowhere was pictured any of his own people; in all the book was none that resembled Kerchak, or Tublat, or Kala.
  • To move quickly from one location to another.
  • * Hooker
    • It became a received opinion, that the souls of men, departing this life, did flit out of one body into some other.
  • (physics) To unpredictably change state for short periods of time.
    • My blender flits because the power cord is damaged.
  • (UK, Scotland, dialect) To move house (sometimes a sudden move to avoid debts).
    • (Wright)
    (Jamieson)
  • * 1855 , , page 199 (ISBN 0679405518)
    • After this manner did the late Warden of Barchester Hospital accomplish his flitting , and change his residence.
  • To be unstable; to be easily or often moved.
  • * Dryden
    • the free soul to flitting air resigned

    Related terms

    * dart * dash * flirt * lunge

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (poetic, obsolete) Fast, nimble.
  • * 1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , II.iv:
    • And in his hand two darts exceeding flit , / And deadly sharpe he held [...].

    Anagrams

    * ----

    alit

    English

    Verb

    (head)
  • (alight)

    • Anagrams

    * ----

    alight

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) alighten, from (etyl) .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make light or less heavy; lighten; alleviate.

    • Etymology 2

    From (etyl) alighten, from (etyl) .

    Verb

  • (with from) To spring down, get down, or descend, as from on horseback or from a carriage; to dismount.
    • Passengers are alighting from the carriage
  • (with on) To descend and settle, lodge, rest, or stop.
    • A flying bird alights on a tree
    Snow alights on a roof .
  • To come or chance (upon).

    • Etymology 3

    From (etyl) alighten, from (etyl) .

    Verb

  • To light; light up; illuminate.
  • To set light to; light.

    • Etymology 4

    From (etyl) alight, from (etyl) *. See above.

    Alternative forms

    *

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Lit, on fire, switched on.
    • The sticks were damp and wouldn't catch alight .
  • (figuratively) Lit; on fire, burning.
    • Her face was alight with happiness.
    Usage notes
    Used only as a predicative.