FLY (flew, flown)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does fly mean? 

• FLY (noun)
  The noun FLY has 5 senses:

1. two-winged insects characterized by active flight

2. flap consisting of a piece of canvas that can be drawn back to provide entrance to a tent

3. an opening in a garment that is closed by a zipper or by buttons concealed under a fold of cloth

4. (baseball) a hit that flies up in the air

5. fisherman's lure consisting of a fishhook decorated to look like an insect

  Familiarity information: FLY used as a noun is common.

• FLY (adjective)
  The adjective FLY has 1 sense:

1. (British informal) not to be deceived or hoodwinked

  Familiarity information: FLY used as an adjective is very rare.

• FLY (verb)
  The verb FLY has 14 senses:

1. travel through the air; be airborne

2. move quickly or suddenly

3. operate an airplane

4. transport by aeroplane

5. cause to fly or float

6. be dispersed or disseminated

7. change quickly from one emotional state to another

8. pass away rapidly

9. travel in an airplane

10. display in the air or cause to float

11. run away quickly

12. travel over (an area of land or sea) in an aircraft

13. hit a fly

14. decrease rapidly and disappear

  Familiarity information: FLY used as a verb is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FLY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Two-winged insects characterized by active flight

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("fly" is a kind of...):

dipteran; dipteron; dipterous insect; two-winged insects (insects having usually a single pair of functional wings (anterior pair) with the posterior pair reduced to small knobbed structures and mouth parts adapted for sucking or lapping or piercing)

Meronyms (parts of "fly"):

alula; calypter (scalelike structure between the base of the wing and the halter of a two-winged fly)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "fly"):

bee fly (hairy nectar-eating fly that resembles a bee; larvae are parasitic on larvae of bees and related insects)

Haematobia irritans; horn fly (small black European fly introduced into North America; sucks blood from cattle especially at the base of the horn)

gadfly (any of various large flies that annoy livestock)

tachina fly (bristly fly whose larvae live parasitically in caterpillars and other insects; important in control of noxious insects)

flesh fly; Sarcophaga carnaria (fly whose larvae feed on carrion or the flesh of living animals)

blow fly; blowfly (large usually hairy metallic blue or green fly; lays eggs in carrion or dung or wounds)

glossina; tsetse; tsetse fly; tzetze; tzetze fly (bloodsucking African fly; transmits sleeping sickness etc.)

house fly; housefly; Musca domestica (common fly that frequents human habitations and spreads many diseases)

Holonyms ("fly" is a member of...):

Diptera; order Diptera (a large order of insects having a single pair of wings and sucking or piercing mouths; includes true flies and mosquitoes and gnats and crane flies)

Derivation:

fly (travel through the air; be airborne)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Flap consisting of a piece of canvas that can be drawn back to provide entrance to a tent

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

fly; fly sheet; rainfly; tent-fly; tent flap

Hypernyms ("fly" is a kind of...):

flap (any broad thin and limber covering attached at one edge; hangs loose or projects freely)

Holonyms ("fly" is a part of...):

fly tent (a tent with a fly front)

Sense 3

Meaning:

An opening in a garment that is closed by a zipper or by buttons concealed under a fold of cloth

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

fly; fly front

Hypernyms ("fly" is a kind of...):

opening (a vacant or unobstructed space that is man-made)

Holonyms ("fly" is a part of...):

garment (an article of clothing)

Sense 4

Meaning:

(baseball) a hit that flies up in the air

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

fly; fly ball

Hypernyms ("fly" is a kind of...):

hit; hitting; striking (the act of contacting one thing with another)

Domain category:

ball; baseball; baseball game (a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "fly"):

pop-fly; pop-up; pop fly (a short high fly ball)

line drive; liner ((baseball) a hit that flies straight out from the batter)

flare ((baseball) a fly ball hit a short distance into the outfield)

Texas leaguer ((baseball) a fly ball that falls between and infielder and an outfielder)

blast (a very long fly ball)

Derivation:

fly (hit a fly)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Fisherman's lure consisting of a fishhook decorated to look like an insect

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("fly" is a kind of...):

fish lure; fisherman's lure ((angling) any bright artificial bait consisting of plastic or metal mounted with hooks and trimmed with feathers)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "fly"):

dry fly (a fly (fisherman's lure) that skims the surface of the water)

streamer fly (an artificial fly that has wings extending back beyond the crook of the fishhook)

wet fly (fisherman's fly that floats under the surface of the water)

• FLY (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(British informal) not to be deceived or hoodwinked

Similar:

alert; watchful (engaged in or accustomed to close observation)

Domain region:

Britain; Great Britain; U.K.; UK; United Kingdom; United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; 'Great Britain' is often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom)

Domain usage:

colloquialism (a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech)

• FLY (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Travel through the air; be airborne

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

fly; wing

Context example:

Man cannot fly

Hypernyms (to "fly" is one way to...):

go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically)

Verb group:

fly (travel over (an area of land or sea) in an aircraft)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fly"):

buzz (fly low)

hover (hang in the air; fly or be suspended above)

soar (fly upwards or high in the sky)

flight (fly in a flock)

rack (fly in high wind)

fly on (continue flying)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence examples:

Some big birds fly in the tree
There fly some big birds in the tree

Derivation:

flier (someone who travels by air)

fly (two-winged insects characterized by active flight)

flyer (someone who travels by air)

flying (an instance of traveling by air)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Move quickly or suddenly

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

He flew about the place

Hypernyms (to "fly" is one way to...):

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Sense 3

Meaning:

Operate an airplane

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

aviate; fly; pilot

Context example:

The pilot flew to Cuba

Hypernyms (to "fly" is one way to...):

control; operate (handle and cause to function)

"Fly" entails doing...:

fly; wing (travel through the air; be airborne)

Verb group:

fly (travel over (an area of land or sea) in an aircraft)

fly (travel in an airplane)

fly (transport by aeroplane)

Domain category:

aircraft (a vehicle that can fly)

air; air travel; aviation (travel via aircraft)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fly"):

balloon (ride in a hot-air balloon)

hang glide; soar (fly by means of a hang glider)

flat-hat; hedgehop (fly very close to the ground)

hydroplane; seaplane (glide on the water in a hydroplane)

glide (fly in or as if in a glider plane)

jet (fly a jet plane)

test fly (test a plane)

solo (fly alone, without a co-pilot or passengers)

fly contact (fly a plane by using visible landmarks or points of reference)

fly blind (fly an airplane solely by relying on instruments)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

flier; flyer (someone who operates an aircraft)

flying (an instance of traveling by air)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Transport by aeroplane

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

We fly flowers from the Caribbean to North America

Hypernyms (to "fly" is one way to...):

carry; transport (move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body)

Verb group:

aviate; fly; pilot (operate an airplane)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fly"):

airlift; lift (fly people or goods to or from places not accessible by other means)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

flying (an instance of traveling by air)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Cause to fly or float

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

fly a kite

Cause:

be adrift; blow; drift; float (be in motion due to some air or water current)

Verb group:

fly (display in the air or cause to float)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fly"):

kite (fly a kite)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 6

Meaning:

Be dispersed or disseminated

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

Rumors and accusations are flying

Hypernyms (to "fly" is one way to...):

go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP

Sense 7

Meaning:

Change quickly from one emotional state to another

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

fly into a rage

Hypernyms (to "fly" is one way to...):

change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Sense 8

Meaning:

Pass away rapidly

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

fell; fly; vanish

Context example:

Time fleeing beneath him

Hypernyms (to "fly" is one way to...):

elapse; glide by; go along; go by; lapse; pass; slide by; slip away; slip by (pass by)

Verb group:

fly; vanish; vaporize (decrease rapidly and disappear)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 9

Meaning:

Travel in an airplane

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

Are we driving or flying?

Hypernyms (to "fly" is one way to...):

travel (undergo transportation as in a vehicle)

Verb group:

aviate; fly; pilot (operate an airplane)

Domain category:

air; air travel; aviation (travel via aircraft)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fly"):

red-eye (travel on an overnight flight)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

flier; flyer (someone who travels by air)

flying (an instance of traveling by air)

Sense 10

Meaning:

Display in the air or cause to float

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Context example:

All nations fly their flags in front of the U.N.

Hypernyms (to "fly" is one way to...):

show (make visible or noticeable)

Verb group:

fly (cause to fly or float)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 11

Meaning:

Run away quickly

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

flee; fly; take flight

Context example:

He threw down his gun and fled

Hypernyms (to "fly" is one way to...):

break away; bunk; escape; fly the coop; head for the hills; hightail it; lam; run; run away; scarper; scat; take to the woods; turn tail (flee; take to one's heels; cut and run)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fly"):

break (make a rupture in the ranks of the enemy or one's own by quitting or fleeing)

stampede (run away in a stampede)

abscond; absquatulate; bolt; decamp; go off; make off; run off (run away; usually includes taking something or somebody along)

elope; run off (run away secretly with one's beloved)

break loose; escape; get away (run away from confinement)

high-tail; hightail (retreat at full speed)

defect; desert (desert (a cause, a country or an army), often in order to join the opposing cause, country, or army)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sense 12

Meaning:

Travel over (an area of land or sea) in an aircraft

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

Lindbergh was the first to fly the Atlantic

Hypernyms (to "fly" is one way to...):

journey; travel (travel upon or across)

Verb group:

fly; wing (travel through the air; be airborne)

aviate; fly; pilot (operate an airplane)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

These men fly the river

Derivation:

flying (an instance of traveling by air)

Sense 13

Meaning:

Hit a fly

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "fly" is one way to...):

hit (cause to move by striking)

Domain category:

ball; baseball; baseball game (a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

fly ((baseball) a hit that flies up in the air)

Sense 14

Meaning:

Decrease rapidly and disappear

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

fly; vanish; vaporize

Context example:

all my stock assets have vaporized

Hypernyms (to "fly" is one way to...):

decrease; diminish; fall; lessen (decrease in size, extent, or range)

Verb group:

fell; fly; vanish (pass away rapidly)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

 Context examples 

When I have spun the web they may take the flies, but not before.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“It’s a long four miles uphill from here to Hand Cross,” said my uncle, as we flew through Cuckfield.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

She had already flown at Dennin and gripped his throat, when Hans sprang to his feet.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

“Down that flying jib, Mr. Van Weyden,” Wolf Larsen commanded.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Would not such a request rather rouse his suspicions and cause him to fly?

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Or could it be that there was a prearranged significance to such phrases as ‘fly paper’ and ‘hen pheasant’?

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

To right and left the folk flew for arch and doorway.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Time was flying, and they should have been on the trail an hour gone.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

The road grew more level, and we appeared to fly along.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Here I am, on purpose to bid you, and you fly off to Yarmouth!

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)