fly

fly1 [ flaı ] (past tense flew [ flu ] ; past participle flown [ floun ] ) verb ***

▸ 1 move with wings

▸ 2 go by/use airplane

▸ 3 move fast (through air)

▸ 4 about time

▸ 5 about flag/kite

▸ 6 be blown around in wind

▸ 7 about ideas/opinions

▸ 8 when idea is accepted

▸ 9 leave quickly to escape

▸ 10 hit fly ball in baseball

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) intransitive to use wings to move through the air:

Not all insects can fly.

fly past/over/up etc.: A huge eagle came flying past.

White gulls flew over our heads.

=> CROW1, BIRD

2. ) intransitive to travel by plane:

Sometimes it's cheaper to fly.

fly from/to: I flew from Miami to New York to meet the other members of the group.

fly into: We flew into O'Hare on Monday evening.

a ) intransitive if an airplane flies, it moves through the air:

The bombers were flying over enemy territory.

b ) intransitive or transitive to control a plane when it is in the air:

He had always wanted to learn to fly.

My grandfather flew bombers during the war.

a pilot who flew over 100 missions

c ) transitive to take people or goods somewhere by plane:

They flew her home for urgent medical treatment.

fly someone/something in/out: Helicopters are helping to fly out survivors.

d ) transitive to use a particular company when you are traveling by plane:

I'm flying United this time.

e ) transitive to go across an area of water or land in a plane:

How long does it take to fly the Atlantic?

3. ) intransitive to move very fast through the air:

fly past/by/toward/into: A bullet flew past his head.

Pieces of glass and concrete were flying in all directions.

a ) to move or go very quickly:

fly into/along/through/out: We flew into each other's arms.

Sheila flew along the hall to the control room.

fly open: The door flew open and the principal marched in.

4. ) intransitive if time flies, it seems to pass very quickly:

fly by: Six months flew by, and it was time to come home again.

fly past: The weekend with her family seemed to fly past.

5. ) intransitive or transitive if you fly a flag or it flies, it is on the top of a pole or building:

Some of the buildings were flying the Canadian flag.

Every American school has the Stars and Stripes flying outside.

a ) if you fly a kite or it flies, you hold it on the end of a long piece of string and it blows around in the wind:

perfect weather for flying kites

6. ) intransitive to be blown around in the wind:

She stood on the hilltop, her gray hair flying in the wind.

7. ) intransitive if ideas or opinions are flying, people are talking about them a lot:

The fire was so suspicious that rumors started flying almost immediately.

fly around: There are a lot of wild theories flying around.

8. ) intransitive INFORMAL if an idea or a statement flies, people accept or approve of it:

It's a great idea, but will it fly?

9. ) intransitive or transitive FORMAL to leave a place suddenly in order to escape from a difficult or dangerous situation: FLEE:

fly the country: Thousands flew the country when he came to power.

10. ) (past tense and past participle flied; present participle flying) intransitive or transitive to hit a FLY BALL in baseball

=> POP FLY

fly in the face of something

to completely oppose or be completely opposite to something that most people believe or accept:

Flying in the face of public opinion, the city council has approved the demolition of the old theater.

flying high

very happy or successful

fly into a temper/rage

to suddenly become extremely angry

fly off the handle INFORMAL

to suddenly become extremely angry without a good reason:

He flies off the handle every time the mail is late.

go flying INFORMAL

to move quickly through the air and fall to the ground:

I tripped over a tree root and went flying.

let fly

1. ) to shoot or throw something:

We waited until the enemy was within range and then let fly.

2. ) to criticize someone angrily:

let fly at: One of the teachers really let fly at Jeff.

send someone/something flying INFORMAL

to make someone or something move quickly through the air by hitting them:

Steve came crashing into me and sent me flying.

=> NEST1

`fly at phrasal verb transitive

fly at someone to attack someone violently:

She suddenly flew at me, kicking and scratching.

fly

fly 2 [ flaı ] (plural flies) noun count **

▸ 1 small insect with wings

▸ 2 opening in pants

▸ 3 hook for fishing

▸ 4 fly ball in baseball

▸ 5 flysheet for tent

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) a common small insect with wings. Flies eat food, are often found near garbage, and are responsible for spreading many diseases:

A trapped fly buzzed against the window pane.

a new spray to kill flies and mosquitoes

a swarm/cloud/plague of flies: There were clouds of small flies over the river.

2. ) the opening at the front of a pair of pants that is fastened with buttons or a ZIPPER. British flies:

Your fly is open!

3. ) a small hook made to look like an insect, fixed to the end of a fishing line and used for catching fish

4. ) AMERICAN a FLY BALL

5. ) a FLYSHEET for a tent

be a fly on the wall SPOKEN

to be able to watch what people are doing without them noticing you:

I'd love to be a fly on the wall when they find out.

a fly in the ointment

a problem that spoils something or makes it difficult:

The only fly in the ointment is that we can't use my house for the party.

going down/dropping like flies INFORMAL

getting sick or dying in large numbers very quickly:

People are dropping like flies with the flu.

(there are) no flies on someone INFORMAL

used for saying that someone is not stupid and you cannot trick them easily

on the fly

1. ) INFORMAL in a very quick and informal way:

We grabbed some lunch on the fly.

2. ) COMPUTING while a computer is running

someone wouldn't hurt a fly SPOKEN

used for saying that someone is very gentle and would not do anything to hurt or upset anyone:

Terry may look tough, but he wouldn't hurt a fly.