From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishflyfly1 /flaɪ/ ●●● S1 W1 verb (past tense flew /fluː/, past participle flown /fləʊn $ floʊn/) 1 travel by plane [intransitive]TTA to travel by plane She’s flying back to the States tomorrow. Will you take the train there or fly? Maurice is nervous about flying, so he usually travels overland.fly to The prime minister will be flying to Delhi later today for a three-day visit.fly from/out of/in etc He was arrested at Heathrow after flying from Brussels airport. Lewis stopped off in Jamaica before flying on to Toronto.2 move through the air [intransitive]TTA if a plane, spacecraft etc flies, it moves through the air The plane was attacked as it flew over restricted airspace.3 control a plane [intransitive, transitive]TTA to be at the controls of a plane and direct it as it flies She was the first woman to fly Concorde. The pilot was instructed to fly the plane to Montreal airport. Sonny learnt to fly when he was 15.4 send somebody/something by plane [transitive]TTA to take goods or people somewhere by plane The injured boy was flown by air ambulance to the Royal London Hospital.fly something into/out of etc something US planes have been flying food and medical supplies into the area.► see thesaurus at take5 use air company/service [intransitive, transitive]TTA to use a particular airline or use a particular type of ticket when you travel by plane We usually fly economy class. Millions of passengers fly British Airways every year. 6 cross sea by plane [transitive]TTA to cross a particular ocean or area of sea in a plane Who was the first person to fly the Atlantic?7 birds/insects [intransitive]HBBHBI to move through the air using wings The mother bird will feed her chicks until they are able to fly. The evening air was clouded with mosquitoes and other flying insects.fly away/off/in etc At that moment, a wasp flew in through the open window. The robin shook its feathers and flew away.8 move somewhere quicklyHURRY [intransitive] a) to move somewhere quickly and suddenlyfly down/across/out of etc Ellen flew across the room and greeted her uncle with a kiss. Rachel’s hand flew to her mouth.fly open/shut The door flew open and a child rushed out. b) to move quickly and suddenly through the air There was a loud explosion, and suddenly there was glass flying everywhere. William hit Jack on the head and sent his glasses flying. The ball bounced off the wall and went flying into the garden next door.9 kite [transitive] to make a kite fly in the air In the park people were walking their dogs or flying their kites.10 → (I) must fly11 move freely [intransitive]MOVE something OR somebody to move freely and loosely in the air Harriet ran after him, her hair flying behind her. 12 flag [intransitive, transitive]ATTACH if a flag flies, or if you fly it, it is fixed to the top of a tall pole so that it can be easily seen After the invasion, people were forbidden to fly their national flag. The flags were flying cheerfully in the breeze. The government ordered that all flags should be flown at half mast (=halfway down the pole, in order to express public sadness at someone’s death).13 → fly the flag14 → time flies15 → fly into a rage/temper/panic etc16 → fly off the handle17 → let fly (something)18 → fly in the face of something19 escape [transitive]ESCAPE formal to leave somewhere in order to escape SYN flee By the time the police arrived, the men had flown.20 → be flying high21 → fly the nest22 plan [intransitive] American EnglishUSEFUL a plan that will fly will be successful and useful News is that the plan for the new hotel isn’t going to fly.23 → fly a kite24 → go fly a kite25 → rumours/accusations etc are flying26 → fly the coop27 → fly by the seat of your pants → the bird has flown at bird(8), → as the crow flies at crow1(3), → sparks fly at spark1(6)GrammarFly belongs to a group of verbs where the same noun can be the subject of the verb or its object. • You can say: He flew the plane across the desert. In this sentence, ‘the plane’ is the object of fly.• You can say: The plane flew across the desert. In this sentence, ‘the plane’ is the subject of fly. → fly at somebody→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
fly• My mother never liked flying.• Brenda's learning to fly.• I flew Aeroflot out of Moscow.• This is when the pilots who have been hibernating during the winter months get their gliders out and start flying again.• The bus was flying along when suddenly the driver slammed on the brakes.• Papers were flying around in the wind.• Fighter jets fly at incredibly high speeds.• Stop flying before it becomes too windy to move or fly the glider.• By the end of the year he had converted to twin-engined fighters, joining 252 Squadron to fly Blenheim IVFs and Beaufighters.• The number of training sorties flown by its pilots had dropped 7. 8 percent a year for nearly a decade.• We'll be flying from New York to Munich.• Stan flew helicopters in Vietnam.• His company flew him to Rio to attend the conference.• Her long hair was flying in the wind.• Medical equipment and food are being flown into the areas worst hit by the disaster.• Some kids were flying kites in the park.• We're flying nonstop from Milwaukee to Orlando.• I managed to roll clear just as it flew off into the air, never to be seen again.• Are you going to fly or drive?• Flocks of seagulls flew overhead.• As I slowed down another car flew past me and turned to the left.• Her fa-ther stood up, and the magpie, delighted, flew round and round with a marvelous clatter.• Lindbergh was the first man to fly the Atlantic.• They were forced to fly the country in 1939.• The ship is flying the Dutch flag.• Her heart broke and her soul flew to heaven.• I'm not allowed to fly visitors into the National Park area without permission.fly from/out of/in etc• Because I did not fly out in a high royal rage, and demand heads?• A more serious issue centers on the noise made by the Hunter and other remote-control planes that fly out of Fort Huachuca.• Absolutely irresistible, they're tipped as the sensation of the year and will fly out of garden centres this spring.• It catches the wind and flies out of her hand.• The molecule heading this way does not bounce off; instead it flies out of the balloon.• She spent the night at the Fairmont Hotel and was expected to fly out of the city early Friday.fly something into/out of etc something• But by the next day they were flying in and out of another nest box nearby on the pole by the fireplace.• His sons' friends came from the office or drove all night to be there or flew in from out of town.• The big black cluster flies come out of the same cracks at night if they see my light next to the bed. fly away/off/in etc• It peeked in, but then flew away.• Oh, now he's flown away.• Aikman even flew in a Dallas country-and-Western band to play at his 10-year high-school reunion in 1994.• I remembered that they had never flown in a light aircraft before today.• He flies in a private jet from concert to concert.• Many of the Minpins who had flown away a short while before were now returning on their birds.• Dust was flying in all directions, but I would have known that mug anywhere.• However desirable, that might fly in the face of everything the 1984 decree was about.went flying• Several of his cousins and brothers went flying.• So then I reached out and Katie went flying.• Diana pushed Raine, who went flying and fell forward on to her knees.• The doll and blanket went flying, bounced off the far end of the block, and fell into the make-believe river.• It tripped on a book and almost went flying, but it just succeeded in remaining upright.• Spit went flying, seen by millions.at half mast• The ferry's flag flew at half mast as the probe went on at Cork's Ringaskiddy port. going to fly• Make sure that you are familiar with the systems in the aircraft you are going to fly.• Mitch was going to fly into a rage.• If you're not going to fly, remove it and store it in a dry spot.• However, if you are going to fly solo, refusing is the only sensible thing to do.• If Amelia were going to fly the Airster, she wanted to learn how to take it through all its paces.flyfly2 ●●● S3 W3 noun (plural flies) [countable] 1 insectHBI a small flying insect with two wings There were flies buzzing all around us.2 trousers especially American English (also flies [plural] British English)DCC the part at the front of a pair of trousers which you can open He quickly did up his fly. Your flies are undone.3 → somebody wouldn’t hurt/harm a fly4 → be dying/dropping etc like flies5 → a fly in the ointment6 → be a fly on the wall7 → there are no flies on somebody8 → on the fly9 fishingDSO a hook that is made to look like a fly and is used for catching fish10 baseballDSB a fly ballExamples from the Corpus
fly• The sun was very bright; flies and insects buzzed on the littered veranda.• There might be bees, but there are clearly no flies on old Mel.• Their heads were the size of flies and moved to and fro as they presumably spoke to one another.• There are three ground pegging points at each bellend and one on either side of the fly.• There was a moment of indecisive silence, then rising voices, then the flies again.• The flies were swarming around the garbage cans.• Real fishermen know how to tie flies and cast them so that they dance over the water.• Your fly is unzipped.flyfly3 verb (flied, flying, flies) [intransitive] DSBto hit a ball in baseball high into the air→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
fly• This is when the pilots who have been hibernating during the winter months get their gliders out and start flying again.• Stop flying before it becomes too windy to move or fly the glider.• By the end of the year he had converted to twin-engined fighters, joining 252 Squadron to fly Blenheim IVFs and Beaufighters.• The number of training sorties flown by its pilots had dropped 7. 8 percent a year for nearly a decade.• I managed to roll clear just as it flew off into the air, never to be seen again.• A revenue passenger mile is one paying passenger flown one mile.• Her fa-ther stood up, and the magpie, delighted, flew round and round with a marvelous clatter.• Her heart broke and her soul flew to heaven.flyfly4 adjective 1 informal very fashionable and attractive Wear something really fly for your Friday date.2 British English old-fashionedINTELLIGENT clever and not easily tricked He’s a bit of a fly character.Examples from the Corpus
fly• Of course you'd expect to find fly ash at any period since people began burning coal in quantity.• What makes fly fishing different from coarse and sea fishing is the way you cast.• If you go fly fishing you are normally wanting to catch either trout or salmon.• When fly fishing you only have the fly tied on the line.• When fly fishing you use an artificially made fly.• Mmm, that Sharlene is one fly girl.From Longman Business Dictionaryflyfly /flaɪ/ verb (past tense flew /fluː/, past participle flown /fləʊnfloʊn/)1[intransitive]TRAVEL to travel by planeFrom Belfast, British Airways Cargo flies to London Heathrow, Manchester and Glasgow.Mr McGovern always flies economy class.2TRANSPORT [transitive] to take goods or people to a place by planeIt was more cost-effective to fly the chemicals direct to each country.A waiting helicopter flew the president to his next meeting.3[intransitive] American EnglishMARKETING if a product or idea flies, it succeedsWe were never confident the system was going to fly.A product which the market has clearly rejected cannot be made to fly4fly in the face of something to be or do the opposite of what most people think is reasonable, sensible or normalA sales tax would fly in the face of EU moves towards greater standardisation of indirect taxes.She made a virtue of flying in the face of business convention.→ See Verb tableOrigin fly3 1. Old English fleoge2. (1800-1900) FLY1 fly4 (1800-1900) Probably from FLY1 