To fly off

To fly off
Fly Fly (fl[imac]), v. i. [imp. {Flew} (fl[=u]); p. p. {Flown} (fl[=o]n); p. pr. & vb. n. {Flying}.] [OE. fleen, fleen, fleyen, flegen, AS. fle['o]gan; akin to D. vliegen, OHG. fliogan, G. fliegen, Icel. flj[=u]ga, Sw. flyga, Dan. flyve, Goth. us-flaugjan to cause to fly away, blow about, and perh. to L. pluma feather, E. plume. [root]84. Cf. {Fledge}, {Flight}, {Flock} of animals.] 1. To move in or pass through the air with wings, as a bird.

2. To move through the air or before the wind; esp., to pass or be driven rapidly through the air by any impulse. [1913 Webster]

3. To float, wave, or rise in the air, as sparks or a flag. [1913 Webster]

Man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward. --Job v. 7. [1913 Webster]

4. To move or pass swiftly; to hasten away; to circulate rapidly; as, a ship flies on the deep; a top flies around; rumor flies. [1913 Webster]

Fly, envious Time, till thou run out thy race. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

The dark waves murmured as the ships flew on. --Bryant. [1913 Webster]

5. To run from danger; to attempt to escape; to flee; as, an enemy or a coward flies. See Note under {Flee}. [1913 Webster]

Fly, ere evil intercept thy flight. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

Whither shall I fly to escape their hands ? --Shak. [1913 Webster]

6. To move suddenly, or with violence; to do an act suddenly or swiftly; -- usually with a qualifying word; as, a door flies open; a bomb flies apart. [1913 Webster]

{To fly about} (Naut.), to change frequently in a short time; -- said of the wind.

{To fly around}, to move about in haste. [Colloq.]

{To fly at}, to spring toward; to rush on; to attack suddenly.

{To fly in the face of}, to insult; to assail; to set at defiance; to oppose with violence; to act in direct opposition to; to resist.

{To fly off}, to separate, or become detached suddenly; to revolt.

{To fly on}, to attack.

{To fly open}, to open suddenly, or with violence.

{To fly out}. (a) To rush out. (b) To burst into a passion; to break out into license.

{To let fly}. (a) To throw or drive with violence; to discharge. ``A man lets fly his arrow without taking any aim.'' --Addison. (b) (Naut.) To let go suddenly and entirely; as, to let fly the sheets. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

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  • fly off the handle — {v. phr.}, {informal} To become very angry. * /John flew off the handle whenever Mary made a mistake./ * /The children s noise made the man next door fly off the handle./ Syn.: LOSE ONE S TEMPER …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • fly off the handle — ► fly off the handle informal lose one s temper suddenly. Main Entry: ↑fly …   English terms dictionary

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  • fly\ off\ the\ handle — v. phr. informal To become very angry. John flew off the handle whenever Mary made a mistake. The children s noise made the man next door fly off the handle. Syn.: lose one s temper …   Словарь американских идиом

  • fly off at a tangent — fly/go off at a ˈtangent idiom (BrE) (NAmE go off on a ˈtangent) (informal) to suddenly start saying or doing sth that does not seem to be connected to what has gone before • …   Useful english dictionary

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