FLEETING

Pronunciation (US): (GB):

I. (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Lasting for a markedly brief time

Example:

a momentary glimpse

Synonyms:

fleeting; fugitive; momentaneous; momentary

Classified under:

Adjectives

Similar:

short (primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration)

Derivation:

fleetingness (the property of lasting for a very short time)

Credits

Context examples:

A vain and fleeting thing.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

But whatever idea was forming in his mind, was dissipated by the she-wolf, who advanced upon him, sniffed noses with him for a fleeting instant, and then resumed her coy retreat before his renewed advances.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

A handful of telescopes deployed by the New Horizons team in a remote part of Patagonia, Argentina were in the right place at the right time to catch its fleeting shadow — an event known as an occultation – and were able to capture important data to help mission flyby planners better determine the spacecraft trajectory and understand the size, shape, orbit and environment around MU69.

(New Horizons' Next Target Just Got a Lot More Interesting, NASA)

Whatever his tongue could express would have appealed, in part, to her judgment; but the touch of hand, the fleeting contact, made its way directly to her instinct.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

This feeling of optimism might last or be fleeting—there is no way to tell from where I sit, so protect your tender heart.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

The way in which I listened to all the incidents of the house that made themselves audible to me; the ringing of bells, the opening and shutting of doors, the murmuring of voices, the footsteps on the stairs; to any laughing, whistling, or singing, outside, which seemed more dismal than anything else to me in my solitude and disgrace—the uncertain pace of the hours, especially at night, when I would wake thinking it was morning, and find that the family were not yet gone to bed, and that all the length of night had yet to come—the depressed dreams and nightmares I had—the return of day, noon, afternoon, evening, when the boys played in the churchyard, and I watched them from a distance within the room, being ashamed to show myself at the window lest they should know I was a prisoner—the strange sensation of never hearing myself speak—the fleeting intervals of something like cheerfulness, which came with eating and drinking, and went away with it—the setting in of rain one evening, with a fresh smell, and its coming down faster and faster between me and the church, until it and gathering night seemed to quench me in gloom, and fear, and remorse—all this appears to have gone round and round for years instead of days, it is so vividly and strongly stamped on my remembrance.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

"A new servitude! There is something in that," I soliloquised (mentally, be it understood; I did not talk aloud), I know there is, because it does not sound too sweet; it is not like such words as Liberty, Excitement, Enjoyment: delightful sounds truly; but no more than sounds for me; and so hollow and fleeting that it is mere waste of time to listen to them.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Yet I knew I must control myself for Maud Brewster’s sake, and I received my reward when her eyes caught mine for a fleeting second, and they said, as distinctly as if she spoke, Be brave, be brave.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Sleepy old brother Athanasius, at the porter's cell, had a fleeting vision of twinkling feet and flying skirts; but before he had time to rub his eyes the recreant had passed the lodge, and was speeding as fast as his sandals could patter along the Lyndhurst Road.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)