flown

[ flohn ]

/ floʊn /

verb

a past participle of fly¹.

QUIZZES

DO YOU KNOW THIS VOCABULARY FROM "THE HANDMAID'S TALE"?

"The Handmaid's Tale" was required reading for many of us in school. Everyone else has probably watched the very popular and addictive TV show. Do you remember this vocabulary from the book, and do you know what these terms mean?

Question 1 of 10

decorum

the act of or need for making up one's mind.

dignified propriety of behavior, speech, dress, etc.

a company of singers, especially an organized group employed in church service.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Words nearby flown

flowers of sulphur, flowers of tan, flowery, flowing, flowmeter, flown, flowstone, flowy, floyd, flq, flra

Definition for flown (2 of 3)

flown²

[ flohn ]

/ floʊn /

adjective

decorated with colors that have been fluidly blended: flown ceramic ware.

Archaic. filled to excess.

Origin of flown

Middle English flōwen; past participle of flow

Definition for flown (3 of 3)

fly¹

[ flahy ]

/ flaɪ /

verb (used without object), flew or for 11, 19, flied, flown, fly·ing.

to move through the air using wings.

to be carried through the air by the wind or any other force or agency: bits of paper flying about.

to float or flutter in the air: flags flying in the breeze.

to travel in an aircraft or spacecraft.

to move suddenly and quickly; start unexpectedly: He flew from the room.

to change rapidly and unexpectedly from one state or position to another: The door flew open.

to flee; escape.

to travel in space: The probe will fly past the planet.

to move or pass swiftly: How time flies!

to move with an aggressive surge: A mother fox will fly at anyone approaching her kits.

Baseball.

to bat a fly ball: He flied into right field.
to fly out.

Informal. to be acceptable, believable, or feasible: It seemed like a good idea, but it just wouldn't fly.

verb (used with object), flew or for 11, 19, flied, flown, fly·ing.

to make (something) float or move through the air: to fly a kite.

to operate (an aircraft, spacecraft, or the like).

to hoist aloft, as for display, signaling, etc.: to fly a flag.

to operate an aircraft or spacecraft over: to fly the Pacific.

to transport or convey by air: We fly merchandise to Boston.

to escape from; flee: to fly someone's wrath.

Theater.

to hang (scenery) above a stage by means of rigging supported by the gridiron.
to raise (scenery) from the stage or acting area into the flies.

noun, plural flies.

a strip of material sewn along one edge of a garment opening for concealing buttons, zippers, or other fasteners.

a flap forming the door of a tent.

Also called tent fly. a piece of canvas extending over the ridgepole of a tent and forming an outer roof.

an act of flying; a flight.

the course of a flying object, as a ball.

Baseball. fly ball.

British. a light, covered, public carriage drawn by one horse; hansom; hackney coach.

Machinery. a horizontal arm, weighted at each end, that pivots about the screw of a press so that when the screw is lowered the momentum of the fly will increase the force of the press.

Also called fan. Horology. a regulating device for chime and striking mechanisms, consisting of an arrangement of vanes on a revolving axis.

Printing.

(in some presses) the apparatus for removing the printed sheets to the delivery table.
Also called flyboy. (formerly) a printer's devil employed to remove printed sheets from a press.

(on a flag)

the horizontal dimension of a flag as flown from a vertical staff.
the end of the flag farther from the staff.Compare hoist(def 7).

flies. Also called fly loft. Theater. the space above the stage used chiefly for storing scenery and equipment.

Nautical. a propellerlike device streamed to rotate and transfer information on speed to a mechanical log.

Verb Phrases

fly out, Baseball, Softball. to be put out by hitting a fly ball that is caught by a player of the opposing team.

Origin of fly

before 900; Middle English flīen, Old English flēogan; cognate with Old High German fliogan, German fliegen, Old Norse fljuga

SYNONYMS FOR fly

1 Fly, flit, flutter, hover, soar refer to moving through the air as on wings. Fly is the general term: Birds fly. Airplanes fly. To flit is to make short rapid flights from place to place: A bird flits from tree to tree. To flutter is to agitate the wings tremulously, either without flying or in flying only short distances: A young bird flutters out of a nest and in again. To hover is to linger in the air, or to move over or about something within a narrow area or space: hovering clouds; a hummingbird hovering over a blossom. To soar is to (start to) fly upward to a great height usually with little advance in any other direction, or else to (continue to) fly at a lofty height without visible movement of the wings: Above our heads an eagle was soaring.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR fly ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM fly

fly·a·ble, adjectivefly·a·bil·i·ty, nounnon·fly·a·ble, adjectivere·fly·a·ble, adjective

un·fly·a·ble, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for flown

Had they been properly trained, they could and should have flown themselves safely out of the emergency.
Flight 8501 Poses Question: Are Modern Jets Too Automated to Fly?|Clive Irving|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Wingsuit pilot Joby Ogwyn has climbed — and flown off — the highest peaks on the planet.
The Daily Beast’s Best Longreads, Dec 1-7, 2014|William Boot|December 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
An airplane had flown so close that he could see its machine guns and rockets.
‘Argo’ in the Congo: The Ghosts of the Stanleyville Hostage Crisis|Nina Strochlic|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He asked if would fit anywhere on any of the aircraft that were flown in that part of the world.
How Amelia's Plane Was Found|Michael Daly|October 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Instead, those missions have been flown from other locations and from aircraft carriers stationed in the region.
Exclusive: Turkey OK’s American Drones to Fight ISIS|Eli Lake, Josh Rogin|October 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It would have flown on high, I suppose, and waited for them until they had grown wings to mount to it.
Foes|Mary Johnston
Many of the moths had emerged and flown, but the luna cases remained in the bottom of the box.
The Harvester|Gene Stratton Porter
Meantime Juma had flown, but was found later on hiding in the corn fields.
In Darkest Africa, Vol. 1; or, The quest, rescue and retreat of Emin, governor of Equatoria|Henry Morton Stanley
It was as if a house had flown up into the sky or a man's head had fallen off.
The Wisdom of Father Brown|G. K. Chesterton
It would not have been surprising if Mr. Coyote had flown into a great rage.
The Tale of Benny Badger|Arthur Scott Bailey

British Dictionary definitions for flown (1 of 5)

flown¹

/ (fləʊn) /

verb

the past participle of fly 1

British Dictionary definitions for flown (2 of 5)

flown²

/ (fləʊn) /

adjective

relating to coloured (usually blue) decoration on porcelain that, during firing, has melted into the surrounding glaze giving a halo-like effect

Word Origin for flown

probably from the obsolete past participle of flow

British Dictionary definitions for flown (3 of 5)

fly¹

/ (flaɪ) /

verb flies, flying, flew or flown

(intr) (of birds, aircraft, etc) to move through the air in a controlled manner using aerodynamic forces

to travel over (an area of land or sea) in an aircraft

to operate (an aircraft or spacecraft)

to float, flutter, or be displayed in the air or cause to float, etc, in this wayto fly a kite; they flew the flag

to transport or be transported by or through the air by aircraft, wind, etc

(intr) to move or be moved very quickly, forcibly, or suddenlyshe came flying towards me; the door flew open

(intr) to pass swiftlytime flies

to escape from (an enemy, place, etc); fleehe flew the country

(intr; may be foll by at or upon) to attack a person

(intr) to have a sudden outbursthe flew into a rage again

(intr) (of money, etc) to vanish rapidly

(tr) falconry (of hawks) to fly at (quarry) in attackperegrines fly rooks

(tr) theatre to suspend (scenery) above the stage so that it may be lowered into view

fly a kite

to procure money by an accommodation bill
to release information or take a step in order to test public opinion

fly high informal

to have a high aim
to prosper or flourish

fly in the face of See face (def. 19)

fly off the handle informal to lose one's temper

fly the coop US and Canadian informal to leave suddenly

go fly a kite US and Canadian informal go away

let fly informal

to lose one's temper (with a person)she really let fly at him
to shoot or throw (an object)

noun plural flies

Also called: fly front (often plural) a closure that conceals a zip, buttons, or other fastening, by having one side overlapping, as on trousers

Also called: fly sheet

a flap forming the entrance to a tent
a piece of canvas drawn over the ridgepole of a tent to form an outer roof

a small air brake used to control the chiming of large clocks

the horizontal weighted arm of a fly press

the outer edge of a flag
the distance from the outer edge of a flag to the staffCompare hoist (def. 9)

British a light one-horse covered carriage formerly let out on hire

Australian and NZ an attemptI'll give it a fly

printing

a device for transferring printed sheets from the press to a flat pile
Also called: flyhand a person who collects and stacks printed matter from a printing press
a piece of paper folded once to make four pages, with printing only on the first page

(plural) theatre the space above the stage out of view of the audience, used for storing scenery, etc

rare the act of flying

Derived forms of fly

flyable, adjective

Word Origin for fly

Old English flēogan; related to Old Frisian fliāga, Old High German fliogan, Old Norse fljūga

British Dictionary definitions for flown (4 of 5)

fly²

/ (flaɪ) /

noun plural flies

any dipterous insect, esp the housefly, characterized by active flightSee also horsefly, blowfly, tsetse fly, crane fly

any of various similar but unrelated insects, such as the caddis fly, firefly, dragonfly, and chalcid fly

angling a lure made from a fish-hook dressed with feathers, tinsel, etc, to resemble any of various flies or nymphs: used in fly-fishingSee also dry fly, wet fly

(in southern Africa) an area that is infested with the tsetse fly

drink with the flies Australian slang to drink alone

fly in amber See amber (def. 2)

fly in the ointment informal a slight flaw that detracts from value, completeness, or enjoyment

fly on the wall a person who watches others, while not being noticed himself or herself

there are no flies on him informal he is no fool

Derived forms of fly

flyless, adjective

Word Origin for fly

Old English flēoge; related to Old Norse fluga Old High German flioga; see fly 1

British Dictionary definitions for flown (5 of 5)

fly³

/ (flaɪ) /

adjective flyer or flyest slang

mainly British knowing and sharp; smart

mainly Scot furtive or sneaky

noun

on the fly mainly Scot in secret; sneakily

Word Origin for fly

C19: of uncertain origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for flown

fly

[ flī ]

n.

Any of numerous two-winged insects of the order Diptera.

Scientific definitions for flown

fly

[ flī ]

Any of numerous insects of the order Diptera, having one pair of wings and large compound eyes. Flies include the houseflies, horseflies, and mosquitoes. See more at dipteran.

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flown

verb

QUIZZES

DO YOU KNOW THIS VOCABULARY FROM "THE HANDMAID'S TALE"?

Words nearby flown

Definition for flown (2 of 3)

adjective

Origin of flown

Definition for flown (3 of 3)

verb (used without object), flew or for 11, 19, flied, flown, fly·ing.

verb (used with object), flew or for 11, 19, flied, flown, fly·ing.

noun, plural flies.

Verb Phrases

Origin of fly

SYNONYMS FOR fly

OTHER WORDS FROM fly

Words related to flown

Example sentences from the Web for flown

British Dictionary definitions for flown (1 of 5)

verb

British Dictionary definitions for flown (2 of 5)

adjective

Word Origin for flown

British Dictionary definitions for flown (3 of 5)

verb flies, flying, flew or flown

noun plural flies

Derived forms of fly

Word Origin for fly

British Dictionary definitions for flown (4 of 5)

noun plural flies

Derived forms of fly

Word Origin for fly

British Dictionary definitions for flown (5 of 5)

adjective flyer or flyest slang

noun

Word Origin for fly

Medical definitions for flown

n.

Scientific definitions for flown