on the wing
Idioms-
In flight, usually referring to a bird as opposed to a plane. For example, Louise is very good at identifying birds on the wing . [Late 1400s]
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Active, in motion, as in Coaches are always on the wing, trying to recruit talented athletes . This usage may be obsolescent. [c. 1500]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ellie Kildunne has been named on the wing, rather than in her regular full-back role, as part of a much-changed England line-up to face Scotland in the Women's Six Nations on Saturday.
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026
He envisioned an expert floor general running the point, a giant manning the middle, and a superstar scorer on the wing.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026
Smith and outside centre Tommy Freeman are both at Northampton, although Freeman is more usually deployed on the wing, rather than midfield, at club level.
From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026
Instead, he pulled up on the wing and made a three.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 22, 2026
One of the ground staff wrote the letter for her, perching on the wing of Lilya’s plane.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
