fly

¹fly

verb \ˈflī\

flew \ˈflü\ flown \ˈflōn\ fly·ing

Definition of FLY

intransitive verb

1

a : to move in or pass through the air with wings

b : to move through the air or before the wind or through outer space

c : to float, wave, or soar in the air <flags flying at half-mast>

2

a : to take flight : flee

b : to fade and disappear : vanish

3

a : to move, pass, or spread quickly <rumors were flying>

b : to be moved with sudden extreme emotion <flew into a rage>

c : to seem to pass quickly <the time simply flew>

4

: to become expended or dissipated rapidly

5

: to operate or travel in an airplane or spacecraft

6

: to work successfully : win popular acceptance <knew … a pure human-rights approach would not fly — Charles Brydon>

transitive verb

1

a : to cause to fly, float, or hang in the air <flying a kite>

b : to operate (as a balloon, aircraft, rocket, or spacecraft) in flight

c : to journey over or through by flying

2

a : to flee or escape from

b : avoid, shun

3

: to transport by aircraft or spacecraft

— fly at

: to assail suddenly and violently

— fly blind

: to fly an airplane solely by instruments

— fly high

: to be elated

— fly in the face of or fly in the teeth of

: to stand or act forthrightly or brazenly in defiance or contradiction of

Origin of FLY

Middle English flien, from Old English flēogan; akin to Old High German fliogan to fly and probably to Old English flōwan to flow

First Known Use: before 12th century

²fly

noun

plural flies

Definition of FLY

1

: the action or process of flying : flight

2

a : a device consisting of two or more radial vanes capable of rotating on a spindle to act as a fan or to govern the speed of clockwork or very light machinery

b : flywheel

3

plural : the space over a theater stage where scenery and equipment can be hung

4

: something attached by one edge: as

a : a garment closing concealed by a fold of cloth extending over the fastener

b (1) : the length of an extended flag from its staff or support (2) : the outer or loose end of a flag

5

: a baseball hit high into the air

6

: flyleaf

7

: a sheet of material (as canvas) that is attachable to a tent for use as a double top or as a rooflike extension

8

: a football pass pattern in which the receiver runs straight downfield

— on the fly

1

: in motion : busy

2

: while still in the air : without the ball bouncing <the home run carried 450 feet on the fly>

3

: in a hurry and often without preparation : hastily, spontaneously <making decisions on the fly>

4

: simultaneously with another task <software that handles formatting on the fly>

First Known Use of FLY

before 12th century

³fly

intransitive verb

fliedfly·ing

Definition of FLY

: to hit a fly in baseball

First Known Use of FLY

1893

⁴fly

noun

plural flies

Definition of FLY

1

: a winged insect —usually used in combination <mayflies> <butterfly>

2

a : any of a large order (Diptera) of winged or rarely wingless insects (as the housefly, mosquito, or gnat) that have the anterior wings functional, the posterior wings reduced to halteres, and segmented often headless, eyeless, and legless larvae — compare maggot

b : a large stout-bodied fly

3

: a fishhook dressed (as with feathers or tinsel) to suggest an insect

— fly in the ointment

: a detracting factor or element

Origin of FLY

Middle English flie, from Old English flēoge; akin to Old High German flioga fly, Old English flēogan to fly

First Known Use: before 12th century

Other Insect Terms

drone, entomology, gadfly, pismire, proboscis, vespine

⁵fly

adjective

Definition of FLY

chiefly British

: keen, artful

Origin of FLY

probably from ¹fly

First Known Use: 1811

Fly

geographical name \ˈflī\

Definition of FLY

river 650 miles (1046 kilometers) S New Guinea flowing SE into Gulf of Papua

fly

noun \ˈflī\   (Medical Dictionary)

plural flies

Medical Definition of FLY

1

: a winged insect—usually used in combination <emerging mayflies> <a large butterfly>

2

a : any dipteran fly—called also true fly, two-winged fly b : a large and stout-bodied dipteran fly (as a horsefly)

fly

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

In general, almost any small flying insect. In entomology, the term refers specifically to the approximately 120,000 species of two-winged, or “true,” flies (dipterans). Other insects called flies have wing structures that differ from that of dipterans.