Domain: Universal Wordsverb, noun
verb (flies, flying, flew )
HELPNOTE 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] ~ (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 Union Jack / 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 (written) to escape from sb/sth:
[VN] Both suspects have flown the country. [also V]
compareFLEE
of plan
14 [V] (AmE) to be successful:
It remains to be seen whether his project will fly.
in baseball
15 (flies, flying, flied, flied) [VN] to hit a ball high into the air
IDIOMS
fly the coop (informal, especially AmE) to escape from a place
fly high to be successful:
British cinema has been flying high recently, winning several coveted awards.
fly in the face of sth (written) to oppose or be the opposite of sth that is usual or expected:
Such a proposal is flying in the face of common sense.
fly into a rage, temper, etc. to become suddenly very angry
(go) fly a / your kite (AmE, informal) used to tell sb to go away and stop annoying you or interfering
fly the nest
1 (of a young bird) to become able to fly and leave its nest
2 (informal) (of sb's child) to leave home and live somewhere else
fly off the handle (informal) to suddenly become very angry:
He seems to fly off the handle about the slightest thing these days.
go flying (BrE, informal) to fall, especially as a result of not seeing sth under your feet:
Someone's going to go flying if you don't pick up these toys.
let fly (at sb/sth) (with sth) to attack sb by hitting them or speaking angrily to them:
He let fly at me with his fist. * She let fly with a stream of abuse.
moreatBIRD, CROWn., FLAGn., PIGn., SEATn., TANGENT, WINDOW
PHRASALVERBS
fly at sb (of a person or an animal) to attack sb suddenly:
He flew at me without warning.
