📒 to move through the air, using wings
- Penguins can't fly.
- + adv./prep. A stork flew slowly past.
- A wasp had flown in through the window.
📒 to move through air or space
- fly (from A) (to B) They were on a plane flying from London to New York.
- fly (to B) (from A) Lufthansa fly to La Paz from Frankfurt.
- + adv./prep. Enemy planes fly overhead.
📒 to travel in an aircraft or a spacecraft
- Is this the first time that you've flown?
- fly (from A) (to B) I'm flying to Hong Kong tomorrow.
- fly + adv./prep. I was flying home to visit my family.
📒 to control an aircraft, etc. in the air
- He's learning to fly.
- fly something a pilot trained to fly large passenger planes
- children flying kites
📒 to transport goods or passengers in a plane
- The stranded tourists were finally flown home.
- He had flowers specially flown in for the ceremony.
- Orders were given to fly the prisoners to the US.
📒 to move through the air for a particular distance; to travel over an ocean or area of land in an aircraft
- Some birds fly huge distances when they migrate.
- Who was the first person to fly the Atlantic?
- Only four airlines are currently allowed to fly transatlantic routes from Heathrow.
📒 to go or move quickly
- The train was flying along.
- She gasped and her hand flew to her mouth.
- It's late—I must fly.
📒 to move suddenly and with force
- (+ adv./prep.) A large stone came flying in through the window.
- Several people were hit by flying glass.
- + adj. David gave the door a kick and it flew open.
📒 to seem to pass very quickly
- Doesn't time fly?
- fly by/past Summer has just flown by.
📒 if a flag flies, or if you fly it, it is displayed, for example on a pole (= a long piece of wood or metal)
- Flags were flying at half mast on all public buildings.
- fly something to fly the Stars and Stripes
📒 to move around freely
📒 to be talked about by many people
📒 to escape from somebody/something
- Both suspects have flown the country.
📒 to be successful
- It remains to be seen whether his project will fly.
📒 to hit a ball high into the air
📒 in a straight line
- The villages are no more than a mile apart as the crow flies.
📒 the wanted person has escaped
📒 to act without careful thought and without a plan that you have made in advance, hoping that you will be lucky and be successful
📒 to escape from a place
📒 to show your support for your country, an organization or an idea to encourage or persuade others to do the same
📒 to be successful
- British cinema has been flying high recently, winning several coveted awards.
📒 to oppose or be the opposite of something that is usual or expected
- Such a proposal is flying in the face of common sense.
📒 to become suddenly very angry
📒 to test out public opinion on a subject
- The company is flying a kite to see if this plan provokes any interest.
📒 to become able to fly and leave its nest
📒 to leave home and live somewhere else
- Her children have flown the nest.
📒 to suddenly start saying or doing something that does not seem to be connected to what has gone before
- He never sticks to the point but keeps going off at a tangent.
- Laura’s mind went off at a tangent.
📒 to suddenly become very angry
- He seems to fly off the handle about the slightest thing these days.
📒 to stop existing; to disappear completely
- As soon as the kids arrived, order went out of the window.
📒 to fall, especially as a result of not seeing something under your feet
- Someone's going to go flying if you don't pick up these toys.
📒 used to tell somebody to go away and stop annoying you or interfering
📒 to represent your country or organization
- Our exporters keep the flag flying at international trade exhibitions.
📒 to attack somebody by hitting them or speaking angrily to them
- He let fly at me with his fist.
- She let fly with a stream of abuse.
📒 used to show that you do not believe something will ever happen
- ‘With a bit of luck, we'll be finished by the end of the year.’ ‘Yes, and pigs might fly!’
📒 time seems to pass very quickly
- How time flies! I've got to go now.
- Time has flown since the holiday began.