Definition
Definition of flies - Reverso English Dictionary
Noun, plural
1.
insectplural of fly, a small winged insect
- Flies buzzed around the picnic table.
2.
clothingUK zippered opening in the front of trousersUK
- He zipped up his flies after using the restroom..
3.
theaterTECH. UK the area above a stage for hanging sceneryTECH. UK
- The crew adjusted the lights in the flies.
Images of flies
plural of fly, a small winged insect 
zippered opening in the front of trousers 
the area above a stage for hanging scenery
Expressions with flies
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
capture small flying insects
He used a net to catch flies.
time passes quickly
I can't believe it's June already, how time flies.!
time seems to pass very quickly
Time flies when you're having fun.
time seems to pass quickly when one enjoys oneself
Time flies when you're having fun at the party!
become sick defeated or disappear quickly in large numbers
During the heatwave, the runners fell like flies from exhaustion.
people are having a loud argument
When they disagree, the fur flies.
a vicious fight or disagreement happens
When the meeting started, the fur flies.
it's best not to talk too much
Remember, a closed mouth catches no flies in tricky situations.
in a straight line between two points
The village is 10 miles away as the crow flies.
fall ill or die in large numbers
During the heatwave, people began to drop like flies..
using kindness can achieve better results than force
Try to be gentle; you catch more flies with honey.
perish in large numbers quickly and unexpectedly
During the epidemic, people began to die like flies.
consume alcohol in solitude
She prefers to drink with the flies at home.
express that kindness works better than harshness to persuade others
Honey catches more flies than vinegar, so be nice to your friends.
have babies very fast and in huge numbers
They breed like flies and rabbits during the long rainy season.
leader of a trivial or chaotic domain
He acted like the lord of the flies in the office.
in large numbers or with great enthusiasm
The fans gathered like flies on pie at the concert.
quick-witted and alert, not easily fooled
There's no flies on her when it comes to business.
in a straight line between two places
The island is 10 miles away as the gull flies.
Origin of flies
Old English, fleogan (to fly)
Terms with flies included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
general term
any of various dark-colored flies found worldwide
fairy tales
magical carpet that flies through the air
fiction
carpet that flies in stories
transportation
professional who flies airplanes for an airline to transport people or goods
pilot
person who flies an aircraft
pest control
liquid insecticide for killing flies
science fiction
vehicle that drives on roads and flies in air
pest control
device or substance that kills flies
aviation
height at which an aircraft flies steadily during the main part of flight
sports
fishing that uses artificial flies as bait
transportation
passenger airplane that flies faster than sound
acr: Scandinavian Airlines System
airline that flies in Scandinavia
military
guided missile that flies low and is used for long-range attacks
ornithology
bird with elongated wings that flies low over water
time flies
time goes by very quickly
flight hobby
pilot who flies a foot-launched glider
autonomous flight
aircraft without a pilot that flies autonomously
abr: Aircraft
vehicle that flies in the sky for travel or transport
acr: air force
group that flies planes for a country
acr: advanced supersonic transport
very fast plane that flies faster than sound
woman pilot
woman who flies airplanes
acr: Bangladesh Air Force
military group that flies planes in Bangladesh
aviation
person who flies hot-air balloons
entomology
suborder of flies with short antennae
Examples of flies in a sentence
The room was filled with buzzing flies. His flies were stuck, causing him embarrassment. She noticed his flies were undone. The flies were crowded with props for the play. She looked up at the flies, checking the ropes.
View all translations of flies
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:mouches, braguette, ...
- German:Fliegen, Reißverschluss, ...
- Italian:mosche, patta, ...
- Spanish:moscas, cremallera, ...
- Portuguese:moscas, braguilha, ...
- Chinese:苍蝇, 裤链, ...
- Japanese:ハエ, ジッパー, ...
- Arabic:ذُبَاب, سَحّابَة, ...
- Hebrew:זְבוּבִים, רוֹכְסָן, ...
- Russian:мухи, молния, ...
- Ukrainian:мухи, штанці, ...
- Hindi:मक्खियाँ, जिपर, ...
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
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
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.
travel by airplane to a destination
We will fly out to Paris tomorrow.
make a kite soar in the air
We went to the park to fly a kite.
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.
lose temper unexpectedly and intensely
She flew off the handle at the slightest provocation.
be sold quickly in large quantities
The new smartphone model is flying off the shelves.
unseen observer of events or conversations
He wished to be a fly on the wall during the meeting.
behave well or follow rules after a warning
If you don't fly right, you'll get in trouble.
Origin of fly
Old English, fleogan (to fly)
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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