/ flaɪ; NAmE / verb , noun , adjective
■ verb
( flies , fly·ing , flew / fluː; NAmE / flown / fləʊn; NAmE floʊn/)
HELP NOTE : In sense 15 flied is used for the past tense and past participle.
OF BIRD / INSECT
1.
[ v ] to move through the air, using wings :
A stork flew slowly past.
A wasp had flown in through the window.
AIRCRAFT / SPACECRAFT
2.
[ v ] ( of an aircraft or a spacecraft ) to move through air or space :
They were on a plane flying from London to New York.
to fly at the speed of sound
Lufthansa fly to La Paz from Frankfurt.
3.
[ v ] to travel in an aircraft or a spacecraft :
I'm flying to Hong Kong tomorrow.
Is this the first time that you've flown?
I always fly business class.
We're flying KLM.
4.
to control an aircraft, etc. in the air :
[ vn ]
a pilot trained to fly large passenger planes
children flying kites
[ v ]
He's learning to fly.
5.
[ vn + adv. / prep. ] to transport goods or passengers in a plane :
The stranded tourists were finally flown home.
He had flowers specially flown in for the ceremony.
6.
[ vn ] to travel over an ocean or area of land in an aircraft :
to fly the Atlantic
MOVE QUICKLY / SUDDENLY
7.
[ v , often + adv. / prep. ] to go or move quickly :
The train was flying along.
She gasped and her hand flew to her mouth.
It's late—I must fly.
8.
[usually + adv. / prep. ] to move suddenly and with force :
[ v ]
A large stone came flying in through the window.
Several people were hit by flying glass.
[ v - adj ]
David gave the door a kick and it flew open.
OF TIME
9.
[ v ] fly (by / past) to seem to pass very quickly :
Doesn't time fly?
Summer has just flown by.
FLAG
10.
if a flag flies , or if you fly it, it is displayed, for example on a long pole :
[ vn ]
to fly the Stars and Stripes
[ v ]
Flags were flying at half mast on all public buildings.
MOVE FREELY
11.
[ v ] to move around freely :
hair flying in the wind
OF STORIES / RUMOURS
12.
[ v ] to be talked about by many people
ESCAPE
13.
( formal ) to escape from sb/sth :
[ vn ]
Both suspects have flown the country.
[also v ]
—compare flee
OF PLAN
14.
[ v ] ( NAmE ) to be successful :
It remains to be seen whether his project will fly.
IN BASEBALL
15.
( flies , flying , flied , flied ) [ v , vn ] to hit a ball high into the air
•
IDIOMS
- fly the coop
- fly high
- fly in the face of sth
- fly into a rage, temper, etc.
- (go) fly a / your kite
- fly the nest
- fly off the handle
- go flying
- let fly (at sb/sth) (with sth)
—more at bird , crow noun , flag noun , pig noun , seat noun , tangent , time noun , window
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- fly at sb
■ noun
( pl. flies )
INSECT
1.
[ C ] a small flying insect with two wings. There are many different types of fly :
A fly was buzzing against the window.
Flies rose in thick black swarms.
IN FISHING
2.
[ C ] a fly or sth made to look like a fly, that is put on a hook and used as bait to catch fish :
fly-fishing
ON TROUSERS / PANTS
3.
[ sing. ] ( BrE also flies [ pl. ]) an opening down the front of a pair of trousers / pants that fastens with a zip or buttons and is usually covered over by a strip of material :
Your fly is undone!
Your flies are undone!
—picture at jeans
ON TENT
4.
[ C ] a piece of material that covers the entrance to a tent
—see also flies
•
IDIOMS
- die / fall / drop like flies
- a / the fly in the ointment
- a fly on the wall
- (there are) no flies on sb
- not harm / hurt a fly
- on the fly
■ adjective ( informal )
1.
( BrE ) clever and showing good judgement about people, especially so that you can get an advantage for yourself
2.
( NAmE ) fashionable and attractive
••
WORD ORIGIN
verb and noun senses 3 to 4 Old English flēogan , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vliegen and German fliegen , also to fly , the insect.
noun senses 1 to 2 Old English flӯge , flēoge , denoting any winged insect, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch vlieg and German Fliege , also to fly (verb).
adjective early 19th cent.: of unknown origin.