take a flutter

Definitions

1. 1

   To flutter for a short period of time.

   • Jenny's pulse took a flutter at the word 'newspaper' now knowing that she was guilty.
   • “Now, that's a good question, and I'm glad to answer it,” Potter said. “The fact is that it occurred to me there might be a pigeon somewhere round here that was thinking of taking a flutter.
2. 2

   To place a small bet.

   • Hughes takes a flutter on the nearest six, nickel bets on thirty-one to thirty-six.
   • I was ridin' the horses then, you understand, and maybe known to take a flutter or two on the bangtails while I was about it.
3. 3

   To support a risky option.

   • You'd hardly believe how difficult it was to interest the public and make them take a flutter on the old boy.
   • In the next general election in 2007 the Liberals hung on to only a couple of these ridings: most of their voters took a flutter with the ADQ.
   • In time Getz took up the slack left by the dearth of commercial presenters and took a flutter on big-name artists in mid-career, often in the Orpheum.

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