fly

1 of 5

verb (1)

ˈflī 

flew ˈflü  ; flown ˈflōn  ; flying

intransitive verb

1

a

: to move in or pass through the air with wings

bees flying around the hive

b

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

bullets flying in all directions

c

: to float, wave, or soar in the air

flags flying at half-mast

2

a

: to take flight : flee

was forced to fly for his life when his enemies came into power

b

: to fade and disappear : vanish

mists flying before the morning sun

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

After he became established in the town, his inheritance flew.

5

: to operate or travel in an airplane or spacecraft

They flew to Florida for their vacation.

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 (something, such as a balloon, aircraft, rocket, or spacecraft) in flight

c

: to journey over or through by flying

flew the Atlantic

2

a

: to flee or escape from

The bird had flown its cage.

b

: avoid, shun

fly such a talkative woman

3

: to transport by aircraft or spacecraft

Supplies were flown to the disaster area.

fly

2 of 5

noun (1)

plural flies

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

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

4

: something attached by one edge: such 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 (such 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

fly

3 of 5

verb (2)

flied; flying

intransitive verb

: to hit a fly in baseball

fly

4 of 5

noun (2)

plural flies

1

: a winged insect

—usually used in combination

mayflies

butterfly

2

a

: any of a large order (Diptera) of winged or rarely wingless insects (such 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

5 of 5

adjective

flyer; flyest

1

chiefly African American English : impressively good, attractive, or stylish

The singer was spotted out and about … looking fly as ever in an all-black hooded outfit.

—Natalie Michie

… the Destiny's Child alum knew she was looking flyer than ever, stopping to pose for a few extra flirty photo opportunities as she arrived.

—McKenna Aiello

Mary J. [Blige] had a tough job following up on one of the flyest debut albums in the hip-hop nation. Instead of trying to outdo herself, she took her music to the next level …

—Gerald Dee

2

chiefly British : keen, artful

But Shakespeare never really fell foul of the secret police. He was too fly for that.

—Boris Johnson

Phrases

fly at

: to assail suddenly and violently

He flew at me in a rage.

fly blind

: to fly an airplane solely by instruments

fly high

: to be elated

She was flying high after winning the contest.

fly in the face of or fly in the teeth of

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

His explanation flies in the face of the evidence.

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

fly in the ointment

: a detracting factor or element

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• aviate
• glide
• plane
• soar
• wing

Examples of fly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Airlines are weighing an ever narrowing set of options to fly between Europe and Asia after grappling with airspace shutdowns in the wake of the first direct Iranian attack on Israel from its soil. —Olivia Poh, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2024

Stone got Profar to fly out to center field and Kim to fly out to right, keeping his perfect game intact. —Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2024

And a childhood friend was ready to talk her through any crises, and to fly out to Denver to help if necessary. —Meg Wingerter, The Denver Post, 14 Apr. 2024

At the end of Tar Beach, the girl tells her little brother that anyone can fly. —Andrew Limbong, NPR, 13 Apr. 2024

However, there are rules that should be followed when flying your drone outdoors: Fly only for recreational purposes. —Maya Polton, Parents, 12 Apr. 2024

The top officials regularly crisscross the country in search of four-figure paydays, working a game in one state and getting on a plane the next morning to fly to their next assignment. —Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024

To make the flying experience easier and more enjoyable, dogs have access to various aids such as calming treats, noise-canceling ear muffs, and calming jackets. —Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024

The best bet that Boeing will fly out of this tailspin is that Mollenkopf will guide its board to choosing the right pilot. —Shawn Tully, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2024

Noun

The Kings are adjusting their rotation on the fly after Kevin Huerter suffered a torn labrum and Malik Monk went down with an MCL sprain. —Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 2 Apr. 2024

This helps anticipate the driver’s next move and the car can alter its setup on the fly to ensure a perfect dynamic response. —Sean Evans, Robb Report, 2 Apr. 2024

His band is performing this all on the fly and in real time. —Anthony Bryant, Essence, 28 Mar. 2024

Then there’s the sound of flies, harbingers of a death scene. —Kaely Monahan, The Arizona Republic, 27 Mar. 2024

Head-shaking and tail-swishing are far more common as an agitated response to flies, or to resistance to or discomfort from being ridden. —TIME, 25 Mar. 2024

However, being able to design a robot that gives you that kind of emotion but also flies was quite a challenge. —IEEE Spectrum, 15 Mar. 2024

Beetles eat dung, flies lay eggs, other insects come to eat the larvae of these animals. —Christie Taylor, Popular Science, 13 Mar. 2024

In ancient Egypt, some believe that the gift of elaborate golden fly necklaces is associated with military honors. —Sean Mowbray, Discover Magazine, 12 Mar. 2024

Adjective

From Kandi’s two-piece silver ensemble to Porsha Williams’s crystal top, the women were some of the flyest concertgoers at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium this weekend. —Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 14 Aug. 2023

On stage and in magazine spreads, rappers have waged a Cold War about who could dress the flyest, wear the most outré thing, push the envelope the furthest. —Jacob Gallagher, WSJ, 11 Aug. 2023

For four Wednesdays this summer, fans in the flyest pairs of sneakers and trendiest fashions lined up at a high rise in the city’s West Loop neighborhood. —Shakeia Taylor, Chicago Tribune, 10 Aug. 2023

Loewe Paula’s Ibiza shorts in denim, $550 (Loewe) Be the flyest foo at the function with these denim Loewe shorts. —The Editors, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1) and Noun (1)

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

Noun (2)

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

Adjective

probably from fly entry 1

First Known Use

Verb (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1893, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1664, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing fly

• caddis fly
• flesh fly
• fly agaric
• face fly
• fly ash
• fly fisherman
• fly dope
• fly fish
• fly-by-wire
• fly casting
• fly ball
• fly into a rage
• fly into
• fly high
• fly in the face of
• fly front
• fly net
• fly off the rack
• fly whisk
• fruit fly
• heel fly
• horn fly
• harvest fly
• pop fly
• no-fly zone
• sacrifice fly
• sac fly
• Spanish fly
• stable fly
• stone fly
• test-fly
• tsetse fly
• when pigs fly
• dry fly
• fly-by-nighter
• crane fly
• fly rod
• fly the coop
• fly-on-the-wall
• fly off the handle
• fly gallery
• fly sheet
• fly-strike
• robber fly
• fly-by-night
• bee fly
• lantern fly
• scorpion fly
• fur fly
• pigs might fly
• fly fishing
• sand fly
• Mediterranean fruit fly
• syrphid fly
• Hessian fly
• sparks fly
• vinegar fly
• wouldn't hurt a fly
• two-winged fly
• fly at
• fly blind
• ichneumon fly
• warble fly
• let fly
• on the fly
• go fly a kite
• fly in the teeth of
• fly in the ointment
• looking fly

Kids Definition

fly

1 of 4 verb

ˈflī 

flew ˈflü  ; flown ˈflōn  ; flying

1

a

: to move in or pass through the air with wings

b

: to move through the air or with the wind

also : to move through outer space

c

: to float or cause to float, wave, or soar in the air

flags flying

fly a kite

2

: to take flight : flee

3

: to move or pass swiftly

time flies

4

a

: to operate or travel in an aircraft or spacecraft

b

: to journey over or through by flying

fly the Atlantic

c

: to transport by aircraft or spacecraft

fly

2 of 4 noun

plural flies

1

a

: a garment closing concealed by a fold of cloth

b

: the outer fabric of a tent with a double top

c

: the length of an extended flag

also : the loose end of a flag

2

: a baseball hit high into the air

fly

3 of 4 verb

flied; flying

: to hit a fly in baseball

fly

4 of 4 noun

plural flies

1

: a winged insect

2

: two-winged fly

especially : one (as a housefly) that is large and has a stout body in comparison with others (as a mosquito)

3

: a fishhook covered to look like an insect

Etymology

Verb

Old English flēogan "to move through the air, fly"

Noun

Old English flēoge "flying insect"

Medical Definition

fly

noun

ˈflī 

plural flies

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)

Geographical Definition

Fly

geographical name

ˈflī 

river 650 miles (1046 kilometers) long in southern New Guinea flowing southeast into the Gulf of Papua