flirt

flirt — verb

1. to behave in a way that suggests romantic or sexual interest in another person,

1.動詞不及物B1
釋義

to behave in a way that suggests romantic or sexual interest in another person, without meaning the relationship to become serious.

例句

At the party, Ari noticed his coworker flirting with the bartender.

flirt with + person (indirect object)

Imani's grandmother teased her for flirting with a boy at the market.

for + gerund after verbs like tease / scold

同義詞
  • chat up

    informal, especially British; implies starting a conversation with romantic intent

  • make a pass at

    more direct and explicit; suggests a clear advance rather than playful behavior

  • tease

    playful and often non-romantic; does not necessarily imply sexual interest

反義詞
  • ignore

    to deliberately pay no attention to someone

  • snub

    to reject or insult someone by ignoring them, the opposite of giving them attention

文法句型

flirt + with + someone

用法筆記

Frequently used in progressive tenses (was flirting, have been flirting). Never takes a direct object without the preposition 'with.' The person being flirted with is the object of 'with.'

常見錯誤

❌I flirt my girlfriend.
✅I flirt with my girlfriend.
💡'flirt' always requires 'with' before the person you are showing interest in.
❌He flirted her at the bar.
✅He flirted with her at the bar.
💡The preposition 'with' is never optional with this sense.

2. to show a brief, not serious interest in an idea, activity, or risky thing, with

2.動詞不及物B2
釋義

to show a brief, not serious interest in an idea, activity, or risky thing, without fully committing to it — for example, flirting with the idea of moving abroad, or flirting with danger by driving too fast.

例句

Hao has been flirting with the idea of quitting his job to travel the world.

flirt with the idea of + gerund / noun phrase

The company flirted with bankruptcy after its biggest client stopped paying.

同義詞
  • toy with

    similar meaning but can also imply physical handling; suggests less commitment

  • dabble in

    implies trying something briefly but without deep involvement; tends to be for hobbies, not danger

  • court

    more formal/dated, e.g. 'court disaster'; suggests knowingly approaching a negative outcome

反義詞
  • commit to

    to decide seriously and fully to do something

  • take seriously

    to treat something as important and worth real effort

文法句型

flirt + with + abstract noun (danger / death / failure)

flirt + with + the idea of + gerund

用法筆記

Always followed by 'with.' The object is most often an abstract noun (danger, death, failure, disaster) or 'the idea of + gerund.' More common in writing and storytelling than in everyday speech.

常見錯誤

❌She flirted to change careers.
✅She flirted with the idea of changing careers.
💡The 'flirt with an idea' pattern needs 'with' and 'the idea of.'
❌He flirted death by climbing without ropes.
✅He flirted with death by climbing without ropes.
💡'with' is mandatory before the abstract noun.

flirt — noun