To flutter the ribbons, verb. phr. (common).—To drive.
1864. Eton School Days, chap. 1, p. 11. As I was going to be
saying, I used to flutter the ribands of the London Croydon and
South Coast coach.
[Flutter, if not a word of all-work, is a word with plenty to do.
Thus, to have (or do) a flutter = to have a look in (q.v.), to go
on the spree, and (of both sexes) to have carnal connection; to be
on the flutter = to be on the spree, and also (venery) to be all
there (q.v.) or on the spot (q.v.); to flutter a judy—both to
pursue and to possess a girl; to flutter a brown = to spin a coin;
to flutter (or fret) one’s kidneys = to agitate, to exasperate; to
flutter a skirt = to walk the streets; and so forth.]
Flux, verb. (old).—1. To cheat; to cozen; to overreach. For synonyms,
see Stick.
1785. Grose, Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v.