flying

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   hurried and brief

   paid a flying visit

2. 2
   adj

   moving swiftly

   fast-flying planes

3. 3
   noun

   an instance of traveling by air

   flying was still an exciting adventure for him

4. 4
   adj

   That flies or can fly.

   flying fox

5. 5
   adj

   Brief or hurried.

   flying visit

6. 6
   adj

   Capable of moving rapidly; highly mobile.

   flying column

7. 7
   adj

   Capable of foiling.

   Flying ferries are the watercraft of the future!

8. 8
   adj

   Designating a cattle brand consisting of a letter extended on both sides with tilde-like curved lines.

   He brands his cow W (flying W) or — (two-bar).

Etymology

From Middle English fleynge, fleeʒinge, flihinde, vlyinde, vleoinde, flyand, ffleghand, flighand (also fleoninde, fleonninde, etc.), from Old English flēogende, from Proto-Germanic *fleugandz (“flying”), present participle of Proto-Germanic *fleuganą (“to fly”), equivalent to fly + -ing. Cognate with Saterland Frisian fljoogend (“flying”), West Frisian fleanend (“flying”), Dutch vliegend (“flying”), German Low German flegend (“flying”), German fliegend (“flying”), Danish flyvende (“flying”), Swedish flygande (“flying”), Icelandic fljúgandi (“flying”).