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Definitions for Fly

[1] to move through the air using wings.
[2] to be carried through the air by the wind or any other force or agency: bits of paper flying about.
[3] to float or flutter in the air: flags flying in the breeze.
[4] to travel in an aircraft or spacecraft.
[5] to move suddenly and quickly; start unexpectedly: He flew from the room.
[6] to change rapidly and unexpectedly from one state or position to another: The door flew open.
[7] to flee; escape.
[8] to travel in space: The probe will fly past the planet.
[9] to move or pass swiftly: How time flies!
[10] to move with an aggressive surge: A mother fox will fly at anyone approaching her kits.
[11] Baseball . to bat a fly ball: He flied into right field. to fly out.
[12] Informal . to be acceptable, believable, or feasible: It seemed like a good idea, but it just wouldn't fly.
[13] to make (something) float or move through the air: to fly a kite.
[14] to operate (an aircraft, spacecraft, or the like).
[15] to hoist aloft, as for display, signaling, etc.: to fly a flag.
[16] to operate an aircraft or spacecraft over: to fly the Pacific.
[17] to transport or convey by air: We fly merchandise to Boston.
[18] to escape from; flee: to fly someone's wrath.
[19] Theater . to hang (scenery) above a stage by means of rigging supported by the gridiron. to raise (scenery) from the stage or acting area into the flies.
[20] a strip of material sewn along one edge of a garment opening for concealing buttons, zippers, or other fasteners.
[21] a flap forming the door of a tent.
[22] Also called tent fly. a piece of canvas extending over the ridgepole of a tent and forming an outer roof.
[23] an act of flying; a flight.
[24] the course of a flying object, as a ball.
[25] Baseball . fly ball.
[26] British . a light, covered, public carriage drawn by one horse; hansom; hackney coach.
[27] Machinery . a horizontal arm, weighted at each end, that pivots about the screw of a press so that when the screw is lowered the momentum of the fly will increase the force of the press.
[28] Also called fan. Horology . a regulating device for chime and striking mechanisms, consisting of an arrangement of vanes on a revolving axis.
[29] Printing . (in some presses) the apparatus for removing the printed sheets to the delivery table. Also called flyboy. (formerly) a printer's devil employed to remove printed sheets from a press.
[30] (on a flag) the horizontal dimension of a flag as flown from a vertical staff. the end of the flag farther from the staff. Compare hoist(def 7) .
[31] flies. Also called fly loft . Theater . the space above the stage used chiefly for storing scenery and equipment.
[32] Nautical . a propellerlike device streamed to rotate and transfer information on speed to a mechanical log.
[33] fly out , Baseball , Softball . to be put out by hitting a fly ball that is caught by a player of the opposing team.
[34] fly blind , to operate an airplane, especially during conditions of poor visibility, relying solely on instruments for guidance. to proceed with a complex task in the absence of directions by using one's own ability to determine what procedures to follow.
[35] fly in the face of , to act in defiance of (authority, custom, etc.). Also fly in the teeth of .
[36] fly off the handle . handle(def 16) .
[37] go fly a kite , Slang . to put up with or get used to matters as they stand. to confine oneself to one's own affairs. to cease being a nuisance: If she gets mad enough she'll tell me to go fly a kite.
[38] let fly , to hurl or propel (a weapon, missile, etc.). to give free rein to an emotion: She let fly with a barrage of angry words.
[39] on the fly , during flight; before falling to the ground: to catch a baseball on the fly. hurriedly; without pausing: We had dinner on the fly.
[40] Also called true fly . any of numerous two-winged insects of the order Diptera, especially of the family Muscidae, as the common housefly.
[41] any of various winged insects, as the mayfly or firefly.
[42] Angling . a fishhook dressed with hair, feathers, silk, tinsel, etc., so as to resemble an insect or small fish, for use as a lure or bait.
[43] (initial capital letter ) Astronomy . the constellation Musca.
[44] clever; keen; ingenious.
[45] agile; nimble.
[46] (intr) (of birds, aircraft, etc) to move through the air in a controlled manner using aerodynamic forces
[47] to travel over (an area of land or sea) in an aircraft
[48] to operate (an aircraft or spacecraft)
[49] to float, flutter, or be displayed in the air or cause to float, etc, in this way to fly a kite ; they flew the flag
[50] to transport or be transported by or through the air by aircraft, wind, etc
[51] (intr) to move or be moved very quickly, forcibly, or suddenly she came flying towards me ; the door flew open
[52] (intr) to pass swiftly time flies
[53] to escape from (an enemy, place, etc); flee he flew the country
[54] (intr; may be foll by at or upon) to attack a person
[55] (intr) to have a sudden outburst he flew into a rage again
[56] (intr) (of money, etc) to vanish rapidly
[57] (tr) falconry (of hawks) to fly at (quarry) in attack peregrines fly rooks
[58] (tr) theatre to suspend (scenery) above the stage so that it may be lowered into view
[59] fly a kite to procure money by an accommodation bill to release information or take a step in order to test public opinion
[60] fly high informal to have a high aim to prosper or flourish
[61] fly in the face of See face (def. 19)
[62] fly off the handle informal to lose one's temper
[63] fly the coop US and Canadian informal to leave suddenly
[64] go fly a kite US and Canadian informal go away
[65] let fly informal to lose one's temper (with a person) she really let fly at him to shoot or throw (an object)
[66] Also called: fly front (often plural) a closure that conceals a zip, buttons, or other fastening, by having one side overlapping, as on trousers
[67] Also called: fly sheet a flap forming the entrance to a tent a piece of canvas drawn over the ridgepole of a tent to form an outer roof
[68] a small air brake used to control the chiming of large clocks
[69] the horizontal weighted arm of a fly press
[70] the outer edge of a flag the distance from the outer edge of a flag to the staff Compare hoist (def. 9)
[71] British a light one-horse covered carriage formerly let out on hire
[72] Australian and NZ an attempt I'll give it a fly
[73] printing a device for transferring printed sheets from the press to a flat pile Also called: flyhand a person who collects and stacks printed matter from a printing press a piece of paper folded once to make four pages, with printing only on the first page
[74] (plural) theatre the space above the stage out of view of the audience, used for storing scenery, etc
[75] rare the act of flying
[76] any dipterous insect, esp the housefly, characterized by active flight See also horsefly, blowfly, tsetse fly, crane fly
[77] any of various similar but unrelated insects, such as the caddis fly, firefly, dragonfly, and chalcid fly
[78] angling a lure made from a fish-hook dressed with feathers, tinsel, etc, to resemble any of various flies or nymphs: used in fly-fishing See also dry fly, wet fly
[79] (in southern Africa) an area that is infested with the tsetse fly
[80] drink with the flies Australian slang to drink alone
[81] fly in amber See amber (def. 2)
[82] fly in the ointment informal a slight flaw that detracts from value, completeness, or enjoyment
[83] fly on the wall a person who watches others, while not being noticed himself or herself
[84] there are no flies on him informal he is no fool
[85] mainly British knowing and sharp; smart
[86] mainly Scot furtive or sneaky
[87] on the fly mainly Scot in secret; sneakily

Words related to Fly

shoot, float, glide, drift, travel, sail, reach, cross, flutter, swoop, climb, circle, operate, speed, rush, pilot, race, pass, flee, break

Words nearby Fly

flux gate, flux linkage, fluxion, fluxionary hyperemia, fluxmeter, fly, fly agaric, fly ash, fly at, fly ball, fly blind

Origin of Fly

3First recorded in 1805–15; perhaps special use of fly1

Other words from Fly

fly·a·ble , adjective
fly·a·bil·i·ty , noun
non·fly·a·ble , adjective
re·fly·a·ble , adjective
un·fly·a·ble , adjective
fly·less , adjective

Word origin for Fly

C19: of uncertain origin

Synonyms for Fly

circle, climb, cross, drift, float, flutter, glide, operate, pilot, reach, rush, sail, shoot, speed, swoop, take off, travel, aviate, barnstorm, buzz, circumnavigate, control, dart, dash, dive, flat-hat, fleet, flit, hop, hover, hurry, jet, maneuver, mount, scud, seagull, skim, skirt, soar, whisk, whiz, whoosh, wing, zip, zoom, bend the throttle, jet out, jet over, remain aloft, sky out, take a hop, take flight, take wing, wing in