Fleet

/flit/ adjective, noun, verb

Definition

A group of ships or vehicles operating together, or moving quickly and lightly; fast and nimble.

Etymology

From Old English 'fleot' meaning 'ship' or 'fleet,' related to Old Norse 'floti.' The meaning shifted from a concrete group of ships to an abstract quality of speed, then developed a verb form meaning 'to move quickly.'

Kelly Says

The word 'fleet' has an interesting split personality in English—it can mean both a giant navy of ships AND the quality of being super fast, which makes sense because fast ships needed to be nimble to escape enemies in medieval times.

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