Definition of fly - Reverso English Dictionary
Verb
1.
birdintr. move through the air using wingsintr.
- The birds fly south for the winter.
2.
aviationintr. travel by aircraftintr.
- We will fly to Paris tomorrow.
3.
movementintr. move or be hurled quickly through the airintr.
- The ball flew out of the park..
4.
speedintr. move quickly or suddenlyintr.
- He had to fly to catch the bus.
5.
timeintr. pass swiftly or vanish rapidlyintr.
- The summer days fly by too quickly.
6.
symbolstr. display a flag on a poletr.
- They fly the national flag on holidays.
7.
escapeintr. flee, run awayintr.
- He decided to fly from the scene..
8.
pilotingtr./intr. TECH. operate an aircrafttr./intr. TECH.
- She learned to fly a plane last year.
9.
rumorsintr. Rare be dispersed or spreadintr. Rare
- Rumors fly around the office.
Noun
1.
animalinsect with wings that can often be a pest
- A fly buzzed annoyingly around the room..
2.
fishingTECH. small, hand-held fishing lureTECH.
- He tied a new fly onto his fishing line before casting..
3.
baseballTECH. US fly ball in baseballTECH. US
- He hit a fly to center field.
4.
sportsTECH. the butterfly stroke in swimmingTECH.
- He excels at the fly in competitions.
5.
clothingRare strip of material on trousersRare
- His fly was open during the meeting.
6.
campingTECH. UK piece of canvas covering a tent openingTECH. UK
- We secured the fly before the storm.
7.
transportationDated UK fast horse-drawn carriageDated UK
- They arrived in a fly at the event.
Adjective
1.
fashionDated US well dressed and stylish in appearanceDated US
- He looked fly in his new suit at the party.
2.
intelligenceDated US quick-witted and mentally sharpDated US
- She is really fly when it comes to solving puzzles.
Images of fly

insect with wings that can often be a pest 
small, hand-held fishing lure 
strip of material on trousers 
piece of canvas covering a tent opening 
fast horse-drawn carriage
Expressions with fly
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indicate a strong fight or argument with intense emotions
When the debate started, the fur flew quickly.
pass quickly without much interaction
The summer seemed to fly by this year.
feel very happy or excited
After winning the match, she was flying high.
bring someone by flying
They will fly in the new manager from the headquarters.
time passed very quickly
We were having so much fun that time flew by.
time seemed to pass very quickly
During the holiday, the days flew past.
time passed very quickly and unnoticed
Looking back, the years flew by during college.
make a kite soar in the air
We went to the park to fly a kite.
travel by airplane to a destination
We will fly out to Paris tomorrow.
time seems to pass very quickly
When you're having fun, the days fly by.
move quickly towards something
She would fly at the opportunity to travel abroad.
act in a way that strongly opposes rules facts or expectations
Their decision to ignore safety guidelines flies in the face of expert advice.
leave quickly or suddenly
The bird will fly off if you get too close.
months seem to pass very quickly
When you're busy, months fly by.
act quickly without planning while doing something else
He fixed the problem on the fly during the meeting.
means something that will never happen or is impossible
He'll clean his room when pigs fly.
be very gentle and not cause harm to anyone or anything
She is so kind she wouldn't harm a fly.
small problem spoiling something otherwise good
The only fly in the ointment was the long wait.
observe a heated argument or fight unfold
When they discuss politics, just watch the fur fly.
proceed without guidance or clear information
He decided to fly blind and make a decision without all the facts..
suddenly become extremely angry
He would fly into a fury if you were late.
become very angry suddenly and intensely
He tends to fly into a rage over small issues.
become suddenly very angry or upset
He tends to fly into a temper when criticized.
fail to achieve lift or success
His new business idea flew like a rock.
Origin of fly
Old English, fleogan (to fly)
Terms with fly included in their meaning
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insect
plural of fly, a small winged insect
aviation
action or ability to fly
bird movement
move wings up and down to fly or try to fly
insect
crane fly with long legs and slender body
recreation
fly a light frame covered with paper or cloth on a string
bird flight
fly high with little effort like a bird
birds insects
to begin to fly
aviation
not allowed to fly
travel
fly quickly using a high-speed passenger plane
aviation
fly an aircraft without others
unpowered flight
fly unpowered like an aircraft or bird
aviation
be able to fly
travel
airport where people can fly to and from other countries
aviation
ride in a hot-air craft to fly above the ground
aviation
fly an aircraft in a circular path
biology
larva of a fly, typically found in decaying matter
flight
fly high in the sky with grace
flight
fly or rise high in the air
medical
tropical disease transmitted by tsetse fly causing fever, headaches, and joint pains
pilots
people who fly aircraft as a profession
private flights
pilot hired to fly private flights
zoology
unable to fly due to wing structure
fly family
small insect in the order Diptera
aviation
fly using a hang glider
Examples of fly in a sentence
The sparrows fly swiftly across the field. Pilots fly commercial jets across the globe. She dreams of learning to fly helicopters. The paper plane flew across the room. The arrow flew straight to the target. The rumors began to fly around the office.
Time seemed to fly during the concert. The hours fly when you're having fun. As the deadline approached, the weeks seemed to fly. They fly the company flag at corporate events. We fly the school flag during graduation ceremonies. They had to fly before the guards arrived. She chose to fly from her troubled past. He dreams of flying helicopters in the future. They plan to fly drones for the project. Stories fly quickly in small towns. Gossip tends to fly at family gatherings. A fly landed on my sandwich. She swatted at the persistent fly. He selected a fly from his tackle box. The fly was expertly crafted for trout fishing. The left fielder caught a routine fly. A high fly ended the inning. She practiced the fly to improve her timing. The coach focused on his fly technique. He adjusted his fly before leaving the restroom. The tailor fixed the broken fly on my trousers. The fly was torn during the hike. We replaced the fly to keep the tent dry. The fly was waiting outside the mansion. He hired a fly for the afternoon ride. She felt fly in her designer dress. Those sneakers make you look fly. He's fly when negotiating deals. Being fly helped him in debates.
View all translations of fly
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:voler, mouche, ...
- German:fliegen, Fliege, ...
- Italian:volare, mosca, ...
- Spanish:volar, mosca, ...
- Portuguese:voar, mosca, ...
- Chinese:飞, 苍蝇, ...
- Japanese:飛ぶ, ハエ, ...
- Arabic:طَارَ, ذُبَابَة, ...
- Hebrew:לָעוּף, זְבוּב, ...
- Russian:летать, муха, ...
- Ukrainian:летіти, муха, ...
- Hindi:उड़ना, मक्खी, ...
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