fly

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   in British slang, not to be deceived or hoodwinked

   I was too fly, and easily saw past the lies.

2. 2
   noun

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

   I was extremely embarrassed to notice that the fly of my trousers had been open the whole night.

3. 3
   verb

   change quickly from one emotional state to another

   fly into a rage

4. 4
   verb

   transport by aeroplane

   We fly flowers from the Caribbean to North America

5. 5
   verb

   be dispersed or disseminated

   Rumors and accusations are flying

6. 6
   verb

   travel in an airplane

   They are flying to Cincinnati tonight.

7. 7
   verb

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

   Lindbergh was the first to fly the Atlantic

8. 8
   verb

   cause to fly or float

   fly a kite

Etymology

From Middle English flien, from Old English flēogan, from Proto-West Germanic *fleugan, from Proto-Germanic *fleuganą, from Proto-Indo-European *plewk- (*plew-k-, “to fly”), enlargement of *plew- (“flow”). Compare Etymology 1. See also Saterland Frisian fljooge, Dutch vliegen, Low German flegen, German fliegen, Danish flyve, Norwegian Nynorsk flyga; also Lithuanian plaũkti ‘to swim’). More at flee and flow.