fly

Noun

1. Any insect of the order Diptera; characterized by having two wings (except for some wingless species), also called true flies.
2. Especially, any of the insects of the family Muscidae, such as the common housefly (other families of Diptera include mosquitoes and midges).
3. Any similar but not closely related insect, such as a dragonfly, butterfly, or gallfly.
4. A lightweight fishing lure resembling an insect.
5. A chest exercise performed by moving extended arms from the sides to in front of the chest. (also flye)
6. The butterfly stroke (plural is normally flys).
7. (obsolete) A witch's familiar.
8. (obsolete) A parasite.
9. A simple dance in which the hands are shaken in the air, popular in the 1960s.
10. A butterfly (combination of four options).

Verb

1. (intransitive) To travel through the air, another gas, or a vacuum, without being in contact with a grounded surface.
2. (ambitransitive, archaic, poetic) To flee, to escape (from).
3. (ergative, transitive) To cause to fly (travel or float in the air): to transport via air or the like.
4. (intransitive) To travel or proceed very fast; to hasten.
5. (intransitive) To move suddenly, or with violence; to do an act suddenly or swiftly.
6. (intransitive) To proceed with great success.
7. (colloquial, intransitive) To be accepted, come about or work out.
8. (ergative, transitive) To display (a flag) on a flagpole.
9. (transitive) To hunt with a hawk.
10. (intransitive) To be in the winged adult stage.

Verb

To hit a fly ball; to hit a fly ball that is caught for an out. Compare ground (verb) and line (verb).

Adj

1. (dated, slang) Quick-witted, alert, mentally sharp.
2. (slang) Clandestine, surreptitious
3. (slang) Well dressed, smart in appearance; in style, cool.
4. (slang) Beautiful; displaying physical beauty.

Pronounced as (IPA)

/flaɪ/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: flye

Inherited from Old English: flȳġe

Cognate with Scots: flee

Cognate with Saterland Frisian: Fljooge

Cognate with Dutch: vlieg

Cognate with German: Fliege

Cognate with Danish: flue

Cognate with Norwegian Bokmål: flue

Cognate with Norwegian Nynorsk: fluge

Cognate with Swedish: fluga

Cognate with Icelandic: fluga

Cognate with Saterland Frisian: fljooge

Cognate with Dutch: vliegen

Cognate with Low German: flegen

Cognate with German: fliegen

Cognate with Danish: flyve

Cognate with Norwegian Nynorsk: flyga

Cognate with Lithuanian: plaukti

Cognate with German: Flügel

Cognate with Dutch: vleugel

Cognate with Swedish: flygel

In summary

From Middle English flye, flie, from Old English flȳġe, flēoge (“a fly”), from Proto-Germanic *fleugǭ (“a fly”), from Proto-Indo-European *plewk- (“to fly”). Cognate with Scots flee, Saterland Frisian Fljooge, Dutch vlieg, German Low German Fleeg, German Fliege, Danish flue, Norwegian Bokmål flue, Norwegian Nynorsk fluge, Swedish fluga, Icelandic fluga.

Synonyms

soar

housefly

flee

flutter

wing

🪽

escape

run

flies

run away

flit

jump

leave

dart

🎯

vanish

aviate

glide

bolt

float

drive

dash

💨

mosquito

🦟

wave

👋

flap

take flight

hover

gridiron

gnat

fly-loft

rush

sail

pilot

🧑‍✈️

fleet

bee

🐝

fly ball

deer fly

insect

wasp

keen

house fly

house-fly

tear

hoist

blowfly

get away

fly agaric

rise

charge

fell

race

retreat

Translations

voler

mouche

🪰

volar

✈️

fliegen

✈️

volare

✈️

mosca

✈️

Fliege

🪰

mosca

🪰

vlieg

✈️

vliegen

✈️

mosca

✈️

voar

✈️

volar

✈️

mucha

πετώ

Sentences

The pleasant hours fly by much too soon .