flying

[ flahy-ing ]

adjective

1. making flight or passing through the air; that flies: fly:

   a flying insect; an unidentified flying object.

2. floating, fluttering, waving, hanging, or moving freely in the air:

   flying banners; flying hair.

3. extending through the air.
4. moving swiftly.
5. made while moving swiftly:

   a flying leap.

6. very hasty or brief; fleeting or transitory:

   a flying visit; a flying remark.

7. designed or organized for swift movement or action.
8. fleeing, running away, or taking flight:

   They pursued the flying enemy.

9. Nautical. (of a sail) having none of its edges fastened to spars or stays.

noun

1. the act of moving through the air on wings; flight.

adverb

1. Nautical. without being fastened to a yard, stay, or the like:

   a sail set flying.

flying

/ ˈflaɪɪŋ /

adjective

1. prenominal hurried; fleeting

   a flying visit

2. prenominal designed for fast action
3. prenominal moving or passing quickly on or as if on wings

   the flying hours

   a flying leap

4. hanging, waving, or floating freely

   flying hair

5. nautical (of a sail) not hauled in tight against the wind

noun

1. the act of piloting, navigating, or travelling in an aircraft
2. modifier relating to, capable of, accustomed to, or adapted for flight

   a flying machine

Other Words From

• non·flying adjective
• un·flying adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of flying¹

before 1000; Middle English (noun); Old English flēogende (adj.). See fly ², -ing ², -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Aircraft from JetBlue, Spirit and American Airlines were all hit by bullets on Monday after flying to the capital, Port-au-Prince.

From BBC

But the biggest task for the merged carrier would be offering customers a uniform flying experience.

From BBC

Destinations like Turkey, the Canaries, Spain, and Portugal were the most popular, while the number of passengers flying into Stansted also reached new levels.

From BBC

Tornado 4 wreaks havoc on a rodeo and sends a horse trailer flying through the air ... real or CG?

From Los Angeles Times

"You could see ambulances and traffic police cars on both sides of the roads quite often, and there were also drones flying in the sky to monitor the traffic," she said.

From BBC

Related Words

• aerial
• floating
• soaring