Noun – Flight
1 (noncount)
a : the act of flying : the act of moving through the air by the use of wings
the flight of a bee
bird in flight (=a bird that is flying)
b : the act of moving through the air or through outer space
the flight of a bullet/baseball
the flight of a rocket to the moon
2 (count, noncount) : the act of running away in order to escape from danger
the flight of refugees
3 (count)
a : a journey on an airplane
an overnight flight
a transatlantic flight
a direct/nonstop flight
b : the airplane that is making a journey
Our flight leaves at noon.
They boarded Flight 101.
4 (count) : a group of similar birds, airplanes, etc., that are flying through the air together
a flight of geese
5 (count) : a series of stairs going from one level or floor to another
Her apartment is five flights up.
He fell down a flight of stairs.
flight of fancy also flight of imagination/fantasy
an idea, story, etc., that shows great imagination but is very unlikely to be true or practical
The book is filled with flights of fancy about the future of the computer industry.
put (someone) to flight formal + old-fashioned
to cause (someone) to leave or run away
The rebels were put to flight by the advancing army.
take flight
1 : to leave or run away from danger
Fearing arrest, they took flight and hid in the mountains.
2 US : to begin flying
The bird took flight (=took wing) when we tried to approach it.
3 US : to begin a period of rapid activity, development, or growth
The idea really took flight (=took off) and soon it seemed everyone was copying it.