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outfly

American  
[aut-flahy] / ˌaʊtˈflaɪ /

verb (used with object)

outflew, outflown, outflying
  1. to surpass in flying, especially in speed or distance.

    to outfly the speed of sound.


verb (used without object)

outflew, outflown, outflying
  1. Literary. to fly out or forth.

Etymology

Origin of outfly

First recorded in 1585–95; out- + fly 2


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.

See Examples For:

“It’s hard for a bee to outfly a fire.”

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 9, 2022

One of the best adapted seabirds in the northern hemisphere, they can outfly other seabirds and speed from shelf to coast in a few hours.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 15, 2020

Big players like Parrot will look to outfly the competition.

From Time ● Jan. 4, 2016

If the brain was merely a biological machine, there was no theoretical reason that it could not be replicated, or even surpassed, much the way a jet could outfly a falcon.

From The New Yorker ● Nov. 23, 2015

They worked as hard as their male counterparts, and they were able to outfly all the other Po-2 bomber regiments for sheer numbers in their nightly missions.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein

It was a sticky day, and he guzzled Gatorade as he liberated large chunks of turf that on more than one occasion outflew his ball.

From New York Times ● Dec. 15, 2011

Now the warrior host of Hell:-- He spake; and, to confirm his words, outflew Millions of flaming swords, drawn from the thighs Of mighty Cherubim; the sudden blaze Far round illumined Hell.

From Milton by Sir Walter Alexander Raleigh

Even if in trying to escape we outflew in my own vessel their ships of war, we could never escape the ubiquitous wayleals, the magnic-winged troops that could fight equally well on land or sea.

From The Goddess of Atvatabar Being the history of the discovery of the interior world and conquest of Atvatabar by William Richard Bradshaw

Her excited imagination outflew even the inventions of La Corriveau.

From The Golden Dog by William Kirby

Forward rode Niels Ebbesen,    Spurred his steed till blood outflew; With his men the Count remained,    No one dared the knight pursue.

From Niels Ebbesen and Germand Gladenswayne two ballads by George Henry Borrow

Israeli pilots in their U.S.-built F-4 Phantoms and Skyhawks and French Mirages have consistently outflown the Egyptian and Syrian air forces in their Russian-made SU-7 fighter-bombers and MIG-21 interceptors.

From Time Magazine Archive

In the air, the Russians were outnumbered, outgunned and outflown.

From Time Magazine Archive

On the other hand, he had to do what was best for the team, and Dean had outflown Seamus at the tryouts.

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling

That sky-piercing peak was ever the centre of their universe, and the wandering sea-bird has outflown their thoughts.

From In the Footprints of the Padres by Charles Warren Stoddard

He had outflown the Irishman and was grinning.

From A Yankee Flier with the R.A.F. by Rutherford George Montgomery

These five had the strange experience of outflying the roar of their own rocket motors.

From Time Magazine Archive

They felt it was because their maintenance system allowed them to fly nearly twice as many missions each night as other Po-2 regiments, and they were extremely proud of themselves for outflying the men!

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein

Thus the trio sped through the coming of autumn dusk, outflying the fallen leaves that tumbled upon the wind.

From Penrod and Sam by Booth Tarkington

And away went the grotesque race up the Corso degli Adimari—the horse with the singular jockey, the contadina with the remarkable hose, and the doctor in lather and spectacles, with furred mantle outflying.

From Romola by George Eliot

But when as homeward bound we speed, The swift sea-bird outflying, With throbbing heart I watch the land, Its blue hills far descrying; Impatient, now, to leave the sea.

From Graham's Magazine, Vol. XXXII No. 4, April 1848 by Robert Taylor Conrad

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