On one dial a needle flickered to the 27,-600-mile mark.

The needle was flickering past the red danger point!

A surge of clicking erupted from the machine and the needle flickered wildly for a second or two.

The needles were flickering, but only at the edge of the yellow area.

The needle flickered wildly, but settled nowhere at all.

The needle was flickering around the eighty mark most of the way.

Finally the needle flickered, crept forward, and became still.

The needle was flickering at fifty as we left the courtyard and it kept on climbing.

Not a needle has flickered from the stops.

The needle was flickering now, impossible to decide whether it was dropping or not.