let fly


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fly 1

 (flī)
v. flew (flo͞o), flown (flōn), fly·ing, flies (flīz)
v.intr.
1. To engage in flight, especially:
a. To move through the air by means of wings or winglike parts.
b. To travel by air: We flew to Dallas.
c. To operate an aircraft or spacecraft.
2.
a. To rise in or be carried through the air by the wind: a kite flying above the playground.
b. To float or flap in the air: pennants flying from the masthead.
3. To move or be sent through the air with great speed: bullets flying in every direction; a plate that flew from my hands when I stumbled.
4.
a. To move with great speed; rush or dart: The children flew down the hall.
b. To be communicated to many people: Rumors are flying about their breakup.
c. To flee; escape.
d. To hasten; spring: flew to her students' defense.
5. To pass by swiftly: a vacation flying by.
6. To be dissipated; vanish: All his money has flown.
7. past tense and past participle flied (flīd) Baseball To hit a fly ball.
8.
a. To shatter or explode: The dropped plate flew into pieces.
b. To become suddenly emotional, especially angry: The driver flew into a rage.
9. Informal To gain acceptance or approval; go over: "However sophisticated the reasoning, this particular notion may not fly" (New York Times).
v.tr.
1.
a. To cause to fly or float in the air: fly a kite; fly a flag.
b. Nautical To operate under (a particular flag): a tanker that flies the Liberian flag.
2.
a. To pilot (an aircraft or spacecraft).
b. To carry or transport in an aircraft or spacecraft: fly emergency supplies to a stricken area.
c. To pass over or through in flight: flew the coastal route in record time.
d. To perform in a spacecraft or aircraft: flew six missions into space.
3.
a. To flee or run from: fly a place in panic.
b. To avoid; shun: fly temptation.
n. pl. flies
1. The act of flying; flight.
2.
a. The opening, or the fastening that closes this opening, on the front of a pair of pants.
b. The flap of cloth that covers this opening.
3. A piece of protective fabric secured over a tent and often extended over the entrance.
4. A flyleaf.
5. Baseball A fly ball.
6. Sports In swimming, butterfly.
7.
a. The span of a flag from the staff to the outer edge.
b. The outer edge of a flag.
8. A flywheel.
9. flies The area directly over the stage of a theater, containing overhead lights, drop curtains, and equipment for raising and lowering sets.
10. Chiefly British A one-horse carriage, especially one for hire.
Phrasal Verb:
fly at
To attack fiercely; assault: The dogs flew at each other's throats.
Idioms:
fly high
To be elated: They were flying high after their first child was born.
fly off the handle Informal
To become suddenly enraged: flew off the handle when the train was finally canceled.
let fly
1. To shoot, hurl, or release: The troops let fly a volley of gunfire.
2. To lash out; assault: The mayor let fly with an angry attack on her critics.
on the fly
1. In a hurry or between pressing activities: took lunch on the fly.
2. While moving: The outfielder caught the ball on the fly.
3. In the air; in flight: The ball carried 500 feet on the fly.
4. While activity is ongoing: A coach can change players on the fly in hockey. This computer program compiles on the fly when a script is executed.

[Middle English flien, from Old English flēogan; see pleu- in Indo-European roots.]

fly′a·ble adj.

fly 2

 (flī)
n. pl. flies
1.
a. Any of numerous two-winged insects of the order Diptera, especially any of the family Muscidae, which includes the housefly.
b. Any of various other flying insects, such as a caddisfly.
2. A fishing lure simulating something a fish eats, such as a mayfly or a minnow, made by attaching materials such as feathers, tinsel, and colored thread to a fishhook.
Idiom:
fly in the ointment
A detrimental circumstance or detail; a drawback.

[Middle English flie, from Old English flēoge; see pleu- in Indo-European roots.]

fly 3

 (flī)
adj.
1. Chiefly British Mentally alert; sharp.
2. Slang Fashionable; stylish.

[Probably from fly.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Verb1.let fly - fire as from a gunlet fly - fire as from a gun; "The soldiers let drive their bullets"
fire, discharge - cause to go off; "fire a gun"; "fire a bullet"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
يَقْذِفُ السِّهام
vystřelit
affyre
kiröpít
òeyta, skjóta

fly2

(flai) past tense flew (fluː) : past participle flown (floun) verb
1. to (make something) go through the air on wings etc or in an aeroplane. The pilot flew (the plane) across the sea.
2. to run away (from). He flew (the country).
3. (of time) to pass quickly. The days flew past.
ˈflyer, ˈflier noun
1. a person who flies an aeroplane etc or is in one.
2. a sheet of paper advertising a product, event etc. handing out flyers to passers-by.
flying saucer
a strange flying object thought possibly to come from another planet.
flying visit
a very short, often unexpected, visit. She paid her mother a flying visit.
frequent flyer/flier noun
a passenger who flies frequently in the same airline and receives bonuses accordingly.
ˈflyleaf noun
a blank page at the beginning or end of a book.
ˈflyover noun
a road etc which is built up so as to cross above another. a flyover across the motorway.
fly in the face of
to oppose or defy; to treat with contempt. He flew in the face of danger.
fly into
suddenly to get into (a rage, a temper etc).
fly off the handle
to lose one's temper.
get off to a flying start
to have a very successful beginning. Our new shop has got off to a flying start.
let fly (often with at)
to throw, shoot or send out violently. He let fly (an arrow) at the target.
send (someone/something) flying
to hit or knock someone or something so that he or it falls down or falls backwards. She hit him and sent him flying.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
References in classic literature ?
By this time his aunt Polly was all straight again, and she let fly. She says:
With the shield slipped well up on my left arm I let fly with another arrow, which brought down a second Sagoth, and then as his fellow's hatchet sped toward me I caught it upon the shield, and fitted another shaft for him; but he did not wait to receive it.
On the cupola that surmounted the edifice was the gilded figure of an Indian chief, ready to let fly an arrow from his bow.
Holding his weight by his arms, and in mid-air doubling his body at the hips, he let fly with both feet.
And of course they must see her light, and if they guess we are near it they are sure to let fly."
Our two men, as they confessed to me, were grieved to be obliged to kill so many poor creatures, who had no notion of their danger; yet, having them all thus in their power, and the first having loaded his piece again, resolved to let fly both together among them; and singling out, by agreement, which to aim at, they shot together, and killed, or very much wounded, four of them; the fifth, frightened even to death, though not hurt, fell with the rest; so that our men, seeing them all fall together, thought they had killed them all.
Then Robin's rage waxed furious, despite his wetting, and he took his bow and his arrows and let fly one shaft after another at the worthy friar.
"And when the legate passed, they let fly on the bridge more than two hundred sorts of birds; wasn't it beautiful, Liénarde?"
"What is your majesty looking for?" said Henrietta, seeing the king's eyes constantly turned towards the door, and wishing to let fly a little poisoned arrow at his heart, supposing he was so anxiously expecting either La Valliere or a letter from her.
The place turned out to be in the wrong part of Shropshire, damn it, and though he never damned his own property aloud, he was only waiting to get it off his hands, and then to let fly. Evie's marriage was its last appearance in public.
I immediately let fly among them, for I always had my gun with me.
"Then Jove let fly with his thunderbolts, and the ship went round and round, and was filled with fire and brimstone as the lightning struck it.