flying squirrel

flying squirrel
Flying Fly"ing, a. [From {Fly}, v. i.] Moving in the air with, or as with, wings; moving lightly or rapidly; intended for rapid movement. [1913 Webster]

{Flying army} (Mil.) a body of cavalry and infantry, kept in motion, to cover its own garrisons and to keep the enemy in continual alarm. --Farrow.

{Flying artillery} (Mil.), artillery trained to rapid evolutions, -- the men being either mounted or trained to spring upon the guns and caissons when they change position.

{Flying bridge}, {Flying camp}. See under {Bridge}, and {Camp}.

{Flying buttress} (Arch.), a contrivance for taking up the thrust of a roof or vault which can not be supported by ordinary buttresses. It consists of a straight bar of masonry, usually sloping, carried on an arch, and a solid pier or buttress sufficient to receive the thrust. The word is generally applied only to the straight bar with supporting arch.

{Flying colors}, flags unfurled and waving in the air; hence:

{To come off with flying colors}, to be victorious; to succeed thoroughly in an undertaking.

{Flying doe} (Zo["o]l.), a young female kangaroo.

{Flying dragon}. (a) (Zo["o]l.) See {Dragon}, 6. (b) A meteor. See under {Dragon}.

{Flying Dutchman}. (a) A fabled Dutch mariner condemned for his crimes to sail the seas till the day of judgment. (b) A spectral ship.

{Flying fish}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Flying fish}, in the Vocabulary.

{Flying fox} (Zo["o]l.), see {Flying fox} in the vocabulary.

{Flying frog} (Zo["o]l.), either of two East Indian tree frogs of the genus {Rhacophorus} ({Rhacophorus nigrapalmatus} and {Rhacophorus pardalis}), having very large and broadly webbed feet, which serve as parachutes, and enable it to make very long leaps.

{Flying gurnard} (Zo["o]l.), a species of gurnard of the genus {Cephalacanthus} or {Dactylopterus}, with very large pectoral fins, said to be able to fly like the flying fish, but not for so great a distance.

Note: Three species are known; that of the Atlantic is {Cephalacanthus volitans}.

{Flying jib} (Naut.), a sail extended outside of the standing jib, on the flying-jib boom.

{Flying-jib boom} (Naut.), an extension of the jib boom.

{Flying kites} (Naut.), light sails carried only in fine weather.

{Flying lemur}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Colugo}.

{Flying level} (Civil Engin.), a reconnoissance level over the course of a projected road, canal, etc.

{Flying lizard}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Dragon}, n. 6.

{Flying machine}, any apparatus for navigating through the air, especially a heavier-than-air machine. -- {Flying mouse} (Zo["o]l.), the opossum mouse ({Acrobates pygm[ae]us}), a marsupial of Australia. Called also {feathertail glider}.

Note: It has lateral folds of skin, like the flying squirrels, and a featherlike tail. -- {Flying party} (Mil.), a body of soldiers detailed to hover about an enemy. -- {Flying phalanger} (Zo["o]l.), one of several species of small marsuupials of the genera {Petaurus} and {Belideus}, of Australia and New Guinea, having lateral folds like those of the flying squirrels. The sugar squirrel ({Belideus sciureus}), and the ariel ({Belideus ariel}), are the best known; -- called also {squirrel petaurus} and {flying squirrel}. See {Sugar squirrel}. -- {Flying pinion}, the fly of a clock. -- {Flying sap} (Mil.), the rapid construction of trenches (when the enemy's fire of case shot precludes the method of simple trenching), by means of gabions placed in juxtaposition and filled with earth. -- {Flying shot}, a shot fired at a moving object, as a bird on the wing. -- {Flying spider}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Ballooning spider}. -- {Flying squid} (Zo["o]l.), an oceanic squid ({Ommastrephes Bartramii} syn. {Sthenoteuthis Bartramii}), abundant in the Gulf Stream, which is able to leap out of the water with such force that it often falls on the deck of a vessel. -- {Flying squirrel} (Zo["o]l.) See {Flying squirrel}, in the Vocabulary. -- {Flying start}, a start in a sailing race in which the signal is given while the vessels are under way. -- {Flying torch} (Mil.), a torch attached to a long staff and used for signaling at night. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Flying squirrel — Flying Fly ing, a. [From {Fly}, v. i.] Moving in the air with, or as with, wings; moving lightly or rapidly; intended for rapid movement. [1913 Webster] {Flying army} (Mil.) a body of cavalry and infantry, kept in motion, to cover its own… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Flying squirrel — Squirrel Squir rel (skw[ e]r r[e^]l or skw[i^]r ; 277), n. [OE. squirel, OF. esquirel, escurel, F. [ e]cureuil, LL. squirelus, squirolus, scuriolus, dim. of L. sciurus, Gr. si oyros; skia shade + o yra tail. Cf. {Shine}, v. i.] 1. (Zo[ o]l.) Any… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Flying squirrel — Fly ing squir rel (? or ?). (Zo[ o]l.) One of a group of squirrels, of the genus {Glaucomys} (formerly {Pteromus} and {Sciuropterus} [1913 Webster]), especially {Glaucomys volans} and {Glaucomys sabrinus}, having parachute like folds of skin… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • flying squirrel — ☆ flying squirrel n. 1. any of a number of squirrels (esp. genus Glaucomys) with winglike folds of skin attached to the legs and body, which enable them to make long, gliding leaps 2. FLYING PHALANGER …   English World dictionary

  • Flying squirrel — Taxobox name =flying squirrels fossil range = Early Oligocene Recent image width = 250px image caption = Northern flying squirrel ( Glaucomys sabrinus ) regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata subphylum = Vertebrata classis = Mammalia ordo = Rodentia …   Wikipedia

  • flying squirrel — any of various nocturnal tree squirrels, as Glaucomys volans, of the eastern U.S., having folds of skin connecting the fore and hind legs, permitting long, gliding leaps. [1605 15] * * * Any member of two distinct groups of rodents that are able… …   Universalium

  • flying squirrel typhus — flying squirrel–associated typhus an acute infectious disease occurring in the southeastern United States, particularly during the winter months, caused by Rickettsia prowazekii, which is transmitted to humans by the fleas and lice of the… …   Medical dictionary

  • flying squirrel — squirrel that can glide through the air due to winglike folds of skin between its front and hind legs …   English contemporary dictionary

  • flying squirrel — noun nocturnal phalangers that move with gliding leaps using parachute like folds of skin along the sides of the body • Syn: ↑flying phalanger, ↑flying opossum • Hypernyms: ↑phalanger, ↑opossum, ↑possum • Hyponyms: ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • flying squirrel — noun a squirrel that has skin joining the fore and hindlimbs for gliding from tree to tree. [Many species, chiefly in subfamily Pteromyinae.] …   English new terms dictionary

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