Hypertext Webster Gateway: "fly"
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary (easton)
Fly
Heb. zebub, (Eccl. 10:1; Isa. 7:18). This fly was so grievous a
pest that the Phoenicians invoked against it the aid of their
god Baal-zebub (q.v.). The prophet Isaiah (7:18) alludes to some
poisonous fly which was believed to be found on the confines of
Egypt, and which would be called by the Lord. Poisonous flies
exist in many parts of Africa, for instance, the different kinds
of tsetse.
Heb. 'arob, the name given to the insects sent as a plague on
the land of Egypt (Ex. 8:21-31; Ps. 78:45; 105:31). The LXX.
render this by a word which means the "dog-fly," the cynomuia.
The Jewish commentators regarded the Hebrew word here as
connected with the word _'arab_, which means "mingled;" and they
accordingly supposed the plague to consist of a mixed multitude
of animals, beasts, reptiles, and insects. But there is no doubt
that "the _'arab_" denotes a single definite species. Some
interpreters regard it as the Blatta orientalis, the cockroach,
a species of beetle. These insects "inflict very painful bites
with their jaws; gnaw and destroy clothes, household furniture,
leather, and articles of every kind, and either consume or
render unavailable all eatables."
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Fly \Fly\, v. t.
To manage (an aircraft) in flight; as, to fly an
a["e]roplane.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Fly \Fly\, n. (Cotton Manuf.)
Waste cotton.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Fly \Fly\, n.; pl. {Flies} (fl[imac]z). [OE. flie, flege, AS.
fl[=y]ge, fle['o]ge, fr. fle['o]gan to fly; akin to D. vlieg,
OHG. flioga, G. fliege, Icel. & Sw. fluga, Dan. flue. [root]
84. See {Fly}, v. i.]
1. (Zo["o]l.)
(a) Any winged insect; esp., one with transparent wings;
as, the Spanish fly; firefly; gall fly; dragon fly.
(b) Any dipterous insect; as, the house fly; flesh fly;
black fly. See {Diptera}, and Illust. in Append.
2. A hook dressed in imitation of a fly, -- used for fishing.
``The fur-wrought fly.'' --Gay.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Fly \Fly\, v. t.
1. To cause to fly or to float in the air, as a bird, a kite,
a flag, etc.
The brave black flag I fly. --W. S.
Gilbert.
2. To fly or flee from; to shun; to avoid.
Sleep flies the wretch. --Dryden.
To fly the favors of so good a king. --Shak.
3. To hunt with a hawk. [Obs.] --Bacon.
{To fly a kite} (Com.), to raise money on commercial notes.
[Cant or Slang]
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Fly \Fly\, a.
Knowing; wide awake; fully understanding another's meaning.
[Slang] --Dickens.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Fly \Fly\ (fl[imac]), v. i. [imp. {Flew} (fl[=u]); p. p. {Flown}
(fl[=o]n); p. pr. & vb. n. {Flying}.] [OE. fleen, fleen,
fleyen, flegen, AS. fle['o]gan; akin to D. vliegen, OHG.
fliogan, G. fliegen, Icel. flj[=u]ga, Sw. flyga, Dan. flyve,
Goth. us-flaugjan to cause to fly away, blow about, and perh.
to L. pluma feather, E. plume. [root]84. Cf. {Fledge},
{Flight}, {Flock} of animals.]
1. To move in or pass thorugh the air with wings, as a bird.
2. To move through the air or before the wind; esp., to pass
or be driven rapidly through the air by any impulse.
3. To float, wave, or rise in the air, as sparks or a flag.
Man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.
--Job v. 7.
4. To move or pass swiftly; to hasten away; to circulate
rapidly; as, a ship flies on the deep; a top flies around;
rumor flies.
Fly, envious Time, till thou run out thy race.
--Milton.
The dark waves murmured as the ships flew on.
--Bryant.
5. To run from danger; to attempt to escape; to flee; as, an
enemy or a coward flies. See Note under {Flee}.
Fly, ere evil intercept thy flight. --Milton.
Whither shall I fly to escape their hands ? --Shak.
6. To move suddenly, or with violence; to do an act suddenly
or swiftly; -- usually with a qualifying word; as, a door
flies open; a bomb flies apart.
{To fly about} (Naut.), to change frequently in a short time;
-- said of the wind.
{To fly around}, to move about in haste. [Colloq.]
{To fly at}, to spring toward; to rush on; to attack
suddenly.
{To fly in the face of}, to insult; to assail; to set at
defiance; to oppose with violence; to act in direct
opposition to; to resist.
{To fly off}, to separate, or become detached suddenly; to
revolt.
{To fly on}, to attack.
{To fly open}, to open suddenly, or with violence.
{To fly out}.
(a) To rush out.
(b) To burst into a passion; to break out into license.
{To let fly}.
(a) To throw or drive with violence; to discharge. ``A man
lets fly his arrow without taking any aim.''
--Addison.
(b) (Naut.) To let go suddenly and entirely; as, to let
fly the sheets.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
fly
adj : (British informal) not to be deceived or hoodwinked
n 1: two-winged insects characterized by active flight
2: flap consisting of a piece of canvas that can be drawn back
to provide entrance to a tent [syn: {tent-fly}, {fly sheet},
{tent flap}]
3: an opening in a garment that is closed by a zipper or
buttons concealed by a fold of cloth [syn: {fly front}]
4: (baseball) a hit that flies high in the air [syn: {fly ball}]
5: fisherman's lure consisting of a fishhook decorated to look
like an insect
v 1: travel through the air; be airborne; "Man cannot fly" [syn:
{wing}]
2: move quickly or suddenly; "He flew about the place"
3: fly a plane [syn: {aviate}, {pilot}]
4: transport by aeroplane; "We fly flowers from the Caribbean
to North America"
5: cause to fly or float: "fly a kite"
6: be dispersed or disseminated; "Rumors and accusations are
flying"
7: change quickly from one emotional state to another: "fly
into a rage"
8: pass away rapidly; "Time flies like an arrow"; "Time fleeing
beneath him" [syn: {fell}, {vanish}]
9: travel in an airplane; "she is flying to Cincinnati
tonight"; "Are we driving or flying?"
10: display in the air or cause to float: "fly a kite"; "All
nations fly their flags in front of the U.N."
11: to run away: "He threw down his gun and fled." [syn: {flee},
{take flight}]
12: travel over (an area of land or sea) in an aircraft;
"Lindbergh was the first to fly the Atlantic"
13: hit a fly, in baseball
14: decrease rapidly, as of money [syn: {vanish}]
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