flying

American  

[flahy-ing] / ˈflaɪ ɪŋ /

adjective

1. making flight or passing through the air; that flies: fly.

   a flying insect; an unidentified flying object.

2. floating, fluttering, waving, hanging, or moving freely in the air.

   flying banners; flying hair.

3. extending through the air.

4. moving swiftly.

5. made while moving swiftly.

   a flying leap.

6. very hasty or brief; fleeting or transitory.

   a flying visit; a flying remark.

7. designed or organized for swift movement or action.

8. fleeing, running away, or taking flight.

   They pursued the flying enemy.

9. Nautical. (of a sail) having none of its edges fastened to spars or stays.

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noun

1. the act of moving through the air on wings; flight.

adverb

1. Nautical. without being fastened to a yard, stay, or the like.

   a sail set flying.

flying British  

/ ˈflaɪɪŋ /

adjective

1. (prenominal) hurried; fleeting

   a flying visit

2. (prenominal) designed for fast action

3. (prenominal) moving or passing quickly on or as if on wings

   a flying leap

   the flying hours

4. hanging, waving, or floating freely

   flying hair

5. nautical (of a sail) not hauled in tight against the wind

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noun

1. the act of piloting, navigating, or travelling in an aircraft

2. (modifier) relating to, capable of, accustomed to, or adapted for flight

   a flying machine

Other Word Forms

• nonflying adjective
• unflying adjective

Etymology

Origin of flying

before 1000; Middle English (noun); Old English flēogende (adj.). See fly ², -ing ², -ing ¹

Example Sentences

The White House described the ship as a "Venezuelan shadow fleet vessel deemed stateless after flying a false flag and had a judicial order" against it.

From BBC

Military aircraft landed at a small civilian airport in the Highlands before flying north during a US Coast Guard operation to board a Russia-bound tanker in the North Atlantic.

From BBC

It said: "The ship, initially flying a false flag, turned off its transponders while at sea and sought to reflag while being pursued."

From BBC

The White House said Wednesday that the oil tanker seized by US forces in the North Atlantic, which had claimed to be Russian-flagged, had been "deemed stateless after flying a false flag."

From Barron's

When the U.S. began pursuing the ship, it was a stateless vessel flying a false flag and subject to a judicial seizure order, the White House said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• aerial
• floating
• soaring