fleetingfleet‧ing /ˈfliːtɪŋ/ adjective [usually before noun] 
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.► see thesaurus at short—fleetingly adverb
WORD ORIGINfleeting
Origin:
1600-1700 fleet ‘to go quickly’ (16-19 centuries), from Old English fleotan ‘to float’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- I caught a fleeting glimpse of them as they drove past.
- A specific point of view of a space, in a fleeting moment of time, could be held in utter stillness.
- He put the fleeting temptation aside, surprised that it had even occurred to him.
- Love flared through her, she felt desire and sadness too because she knew this was a fleeting moment.
- She felt a fleeting distant surprise as the cool night air whispered over her skin.
- Thankfully both pilots came out of their fleeting meeting physically unscathed but both will remember the event for ever more.
- The wind was tugging at her hair, the setting sun turning it to false and fleeting gold.
THESAURUStime
not long: · I lived in Tokyo for a short time.· Smokers have a shorter life expectancy than non-smokers.
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.
[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.
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
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
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.
[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).
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.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY 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.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
lasting for only a short time SYN brief: 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. (=a very quick look)· Stephen exchanged a fleeting glance with his father.
(=a very short look) We only had a fleeting glimpse of the river.
We only had a fleeting glimpse of the river. (=a very short time)· For a fleeting moment she wanted to run away.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN· Rory had only seen fleeting glimpses of it, but enough to know it was there.· As Delaney and Forster hit the deck they caught a fleeting glimpse of the crazed man going for it again.· That smile had afforded her a fleeting glimpse of another side of Adam Burns - a side that was warm and humorous.· As I set off I had a fleeting glimpse of the leer of pure delight on Simkin's face.
· Love flared through her, she felt desire and sadness too because she knew this was a fleeting moment.· For a fleeting moment the Master reappeared.· It was as though, at the height of a fever, you experienced a fleeting moment of wellbeing.· A specific point of view of a space, in a fleeting moment of time, could be held in utter stillness.· And in self-pity that the ugly reality of Berlin had once again destroyed her fleeting moment of happiness.· For a fleeting moment Gina almost felt sorry for Hanne's recalcitrant son.· For one fleeting moment the dark eyes seemed to dance.· For a fleeting moment that is.
· When we met, Carol was paying a fleeting visit to Paris.· It was a fleeting visit, but in the best traditions of a charming Prince, he bowled them over.
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.► see thesaurus at short—fleetingly adverb