"fleetings" is a regional or dialect word meaning a mixture of buttermilk and boiling whey; curds. It is most likely picked up from family, a particular part of the country, or a piece of regional media. There is nothing to worry about: dialect vocabulary is a sign of place and heritage, not of any risky behaviour. If anything, it is a nice opportunity to talk about where the word comes from and which side of the family or which place uses it.
fleetings
(UK, dialect) A mixture of buttermilk and boiling whey; curds.
Definitions
(UK, dialect) A mixture of buttermilk and boiling whey; curds.
As soon as the whey is exhausted of its cream , about two quarts of butter-milk is poured into it , which again breaks into what are called fleetings or flit milk
"fleetings" is a regional or dialect word meaning a mixture of buttermilk and boiling whey; curds. It is most likely picked up from family, a particular part of the country, or a piece of regional media. There is nothing to worry about: dialect vocabulary is a sign of place and heritage, not of any risky behaviour. If anything, it is a nice opportunity to talk about where the word comes from and which side of the family or which place uses it.
"fleetings" is regional / dialectal English meaning a mixture of buttermilk and boiling whey; curds. It is mainly heard in British English (and Irish English). A more formal or neutral equivalent would be something like "a mixture of buttermilk and boiling whey" expressed in standard vocabulary. A common mistake is to use "fleetings" outside its region; speakers from elsewhere may not understand it or may find it self-consciously local. If you are a B2 or C1 learner, it is useful to recognise this word when you hear or read it, but think carefully about whether the situation really calls for it before using it yourself.
“Best of all was his annual round-robin end-of-year letter, normally such a tedious piece of mail, but in Phillip's case, variously termed "Seasonal Greetings, Bleatings, Fleetings or Entreatings", extra-special.”
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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🇬🇧About British & Irish slang slang
UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.
See all British & Irish slang slang on Slangora.
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Other words near "fleetings" (F)
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Related terms
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Semantically related
- Curlings68%
' fleetings,' a product of cheese-making. Chs. N. &* O. (1882) I. 224. 2. The small pieces of the ' leaf of a pig, after ' rendering.' ib. 229.
- fleeting60%
That which flees, especially quickly; fugitive.
- lapper-milk60%
(Scotland) curdled milk.
- flotation59%
A state of floating, or being afloat.
- reamy59%
(UK, dialectal) Creaming, in a foaming state or condition; frothy.