To flicker means to shine unsteadily, turning quickly brighter and dimmer, like a candle in the wind. It can also describe a feeling or thought that appears briefly and then fades.
“Flicker” likely comes from Middle English “flikeren,” meaning “to flutter or move quickly,” probably imitating the quick motion and light changes. It is related to the idea of quick, repeated movement.
A flickering light feels uneasy because our brains like stable patterns; constant tiny changes make us alert. That’s why horror movies love flickering bulbs—they signal that something is wrong before anything appears.
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