fly

Angling. a fishhook dressed with hair, feathers, silk, tinsel, etc., so as to resemble an insect or small fish, for use as a lure or bait.

Fly, Astronomy. the constellation Musca.

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.

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

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.

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.

(on a flag)

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.

British Slang. dexterous; agile; nimble.

to operate (an aircraft or spacecraft)

to float, flutter, or be displayed in the air or cause to float, etc, in this way: to 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 suddenly: she came flying towards me; the door flew open

(intr) to pass swiftly: time flies

to escape from (an enemy, place, etc); flee: he flew the country

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

(intr) to have a sudden outburst: he flew into a rage again

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

(tr) falconry (of hawks) to fly at (quarry) in attack: peregrines fly rooks

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

fly a kite

fly high informal

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

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

the horizontal weighted arm of a fly press

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

Australian and NZ an attempt: I'll give it a fly

printing

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

rare the act of flying

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