fleeting
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++fleet·ing /ˈfliːtɪŋ/ adjective [usually before noun] SHORT TIMElasting for only a short time 短暂的，飞逝的 SYN brief a fleeting smile 一闪即逝的微笑 For one fleeting moment, Paula allowed herself to forget her troubles. 就在这一片刻，葆拉让自己暂时忘却了烦恼。 I caught a fleeting glimpse of them as they drove past. 我瞥见他们驱车一闪而过。 Carol was paying a fleeting visit to Paris. 卡罗尔在巴黎短暂停留。► see thesaurus at short —fleetingly adverb
Examples from the Corpus
fleeting• She felt a fleeting distant surprise as the cool night air whispered over her skin.• I caught a fleeting glimpse of them as they drove past.• The wind was tugging at her hair, the setting sun turning it to false and fleeting gold.• Thankfully both pilots came out of their fleeting meeting physically unscathed but both will remember the event for ever more.• A specific point of view of a space, in a fleeting moment of time, could be held in utter stillness.• Love flared through her, she felt desire and sadness too because she knew this was a fleeting moment.• He put the fleeting temptation aside, surprised that it had even occurred to him.fleeting visit• It was a fleeting visit, but in the best traditions of a charming Prince, he bowled them over.• When we met, Carol was paying a fleeting visit to Paris.Origin fleeting (1600-1700) fleet “to go quickly” ((16-19 centuries)), from Old English fleotan “to float”fleet·ing adjectiveChineseSyllable
only a time short Corpus for lasting
fleeting
fleet‧ing /ˈfliːtɪŋ/
adjective [usually before noun]
SYN brief:
a fleeting smile
For one fleeting moment, Paula allowed herself to forget her troubles.
I caught a fleeting glimpse of them as they drove past.
Carol was paying a fleeting visit to Paris.
—fleetingly adverb
■ time
▪short not long: I lived in Tokyo for a short time. | Smokers have a shorter life expectancy than non-smokers.
▪brief especially written lasting only for a short time. Brief is more formal than short, and is used especially in written English: The President will make a brief visit to Seattle today. | He coached Hingis for a brief period in the 1990s.
▪quick [only before noun] taking a short time to do something: I had a quick look at the map. | He had a quick shower and then went out.
▪short-lived lasting only for a short time – used especially when someone wishes that a good situation had been able to last for longer: short-lived success | The ceasefire was short-lived. | a short-lived romance | short-lived optimism about the economy
▪fleeting lasting only for an extremely short time – used especially when someone wishes that something had been able to last for longer: a fleeting visit | a fleeting smile | She caught a fleeting glimpse of him. | a fleeting moment of happiness | a fleeting thought
▪momentary lasting for a very short time – used especially about feelings or pauses: There was a momentary pause in the conversation. | The momentary panic ended when he found his two-year-old son waiting happily outside the store.
▪passing [only before noun] lasting only for a short time – used especially when people are only interested in something or mention something for a short time: passing fashions | He made only a passing reference to war. | It’s just a passing phase (=it will end soon).
▪ephemeral formal lasting only for a short time, and ending quickly like everything else in this world: Beauty is ephemeral. | the ephemeral nature of our existence | His wealth proved to be ephemeral.
fleet‧ing /ˈfliːtɪŋ/
adjective [usually before noun] Date: 1600-1700
Origin: fleet 'to go quickly' (16-19 centuries), from Old English fleotan 'to float'
lasting for only a short time Origin: fleet 'to go quickly' (16-19 centuries), from Old English fleotan 'to float'
SYN brief:
—fleetingly adverb
| THESAURUS |
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪