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to dart

to dart

64 2.2
To move quickly and suddenly in one direction
  • verb
  • /dɑrt/
translation icon : salir disparado
  • She darted through the crowd to catch the bus before it left.
  • dart back
  • eyes dart

Behind the light a black shape ran and darted in, long blades shown.

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Examples

  • Don't you know not to dart into traffic like that?

  • She said that Rose had darted off, moments before we arrived and he'd gone west into the woods.

  • I saw your eyes dart at my gut five seconds ago.

  • Never dart behind Rebel, okay?

  • It runs across the field and darts off in front of my car.

  • If a scrap hits the ground, a fox will dart in, snatch it up, and resume its station.

    Academic text (2010)
  • As soon as we let her off the rope, she was in hog heaven, sniffing and darting about around our feet.

  • Colorful kingfishers were also prime photographic targets while they perched and darted into the water repeatedly.

    Academic text (2006)
  • And kingfishers swooped and darted about, their shadows racing over the brown trout.

  • Gunfire echoed everywhere, and Marines darted back and forth, hunched low.

    Academic text (2013)

Synonyms

to shoot
vsto dart
351 1.6

To move very quickly in one direction

restricts sense to quick motion in a particular direction, not events or sending
to dash
vsto dart
73 1.0

To move very quickly to reach a place

focuses on a short sudden move toward a particular direction
to scoot
vsto dart
  • Informal
29 2.8

Move a short distance quickly, often to make room or hurry

is similar but more neutral and less playful in tone
to flit
vsto dart
18 6.1

To move quickly and lightly from one place to another

is a single quick move toward one particular direction rather than repeated moves
to flash
vsto dart
12 2.2

To move very quickly for a short time

emphasizes a quick directed movement rather than briefness of duration
to arrow
vsto dart
1 5.4

To move quickly and directly in a straight line

allows sudden movement toward a direction that need not be perfectly straight
to scud
vsto dart
1 8.0

To move quickly and smoothly, pushed by the wind

is sudden directed motion caused by a mover, not mainly by wind
to fleet
vsto dart
1 7.4

To move quickly and lightly across a surface

is a sudden directed motion through space rather than light skimming
to elance
vsto dart
9.9

To move suddenly and fast in one direction

has identical meaning and differs only as another word choice
to cannonball along
vsto dart
  • Informal
7.1

To move very quickly in a straight, forceful way

is sudden movement without the strong force or heavy impact implied

Antonyms

207 3.7

To stay in a place longer than expected because you do not want to leave

17 5.0

Move or act slowly and waste time, causing delay

Phrasal Verbs

Move suddenly and quickly from one side to the other

Compounds

3 2.1

A circular board that players throw darts at to score points

lawn dart
  • Archaic
1 6.8

A heavy pointed object you throw outside toward a target on the ground

1 2.7

A person who plays darts for fun or as a job

A plant from southern Europe with flat blue flowers and dark centers often grown in gardens

dart thrower
  • Specialized
8.2

A tool like a stick that helps you throw a spear or dart farther

egg-and-dart
  • Specialized
9.6

A decorative border with egg-shaped parts next to pointed shapes used on classical buildings

How Fast

to bolt
69 2.3
to rush
548 1.0
to dart
64 2.2
to dash
73 1.0
to hurry
1.0
to move
1.0

Surface Forms

dart infinitive
darted past
darted past participle
darting present participle
darts third person singular

Etymology

Dart as a verb comes from the old word darder meaning 'to thrust' or 'to throw', so to dart is to move quickly and suddenly in one direction, like a tiny arrow being shot out.