fly
/flaɪ/ verb A1- To travel through the air, another gas, or a vacuum, without being in contact with a grounded surface. · Birds of passage fly to warmer regions as it gets colder in winter.· The probe flew beyond the solar system.
- To take a flight on a plane; to pilot or crew a plane. · My airline needs me to get clearance before I can fly again.· If we want to fly today, we need to leave for the airport right now.
- To be in the winged adult stage. · This species flies from late summer until frost.
- To be accepted, come about or work out. · Let's see if that idea flies.· You know, I just don't think that's going to fly. Why don't you spend your time on something better?
- To cause to fly (travel or float in the air): to transport via air or the like. · Charles Lindbergh flew his airplane The Spirit of St. Louis across the Atlantic ocean.· Birds fly their prey to their nest to feed it to their young.
- To arrange for someone to take a flight. · We flew the kids out to see their grandparents.
- To pilot a plane over a region or on a route. · This is the first time I flew the Pacific.· I'm hoping to fly the London-New York route so I can see the Big Apple again.
- To complete (a goal, task, mission, etc.) while crewing an aircraft or spacecraft.
Plural fly · He/she/it flies · Past flew · Past participle flown · -ing form flying
Verb forms
- Base form
- fly
- He/she/it
- flies
- Past
- flew
- Past participle
- flown
- -ing form
- flying
An irregular verb: learn its past and past participle by heart.
Phrasal verbs and expressions
- fly apart To break into many pieces by exploding, literally or figu...
- fly by To pass or go past quickly, often without much interaction
- fly in To use a flying switch to switch train cars.
- fly into To erupt in an emotional outburst.
- fly off To flee rapidly; to run away.
- fly out To travel by airplane to a destination.
- fly up To ascend rapidly
From the library
A TORTOISE, lazily basking in the sun, complained to the sea-birds of her hard fate, that no one would teach her to fly.
“I will give you,” she said, “all the riches of the Red Sea.” “I will teach you to fly then,” said the Eagle; and taking her up in his talons he carried her almost to the clouds suddenly he let her go, and she fell on a lofty mountain, dashing her shell to pieces.
So they sat down upon the bank and gazed wistfully at the Scarecrow until a Stork flew by, who, upon seeing them, stopped to rest at the water’s edge.
So the big bird flew into the air and over the water till she came to where the Scarecrow was perched upon his pole.
Other matches
- fly Any insect of the order Diptera A1
- fly Quick-witted, alert, mentally sharp. C2
- fly To hit a fly ball C2
- fly An act of flying. C2
- fly apart To break into many pieces by exploding, literal...
- fly by To pass or go past quickly, often without much ...
- fly in To use a flying switch to switch train cars.
- fly into To erupt in an emotional outburst.
Learn fly in real texts
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