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

One of the innovations at this year's Paris Olympics was supposed to be an electric flying taxi service.

From BBC

In this case, given that we are all flying on the plane that Trump will soon be piloting, there’s not much to do but hope that he sees the inherent genius in restraint.

From Slate

Dr Luis Chiappe, a co-lead author from the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, added the discovery showed some of the birds flying over the heads of dinosaurs had a fully modern skull geometry more than 80 million years ago.

From BBC

Last month, Mr Hunter was revealed as the private citizen who paid for the plane flying Alex Salmond's body home from North Macedonia.

From BBC

Folk-rock and country-rock pioneer Chris Hillman, the original bassist of the Byrds and co-founder of the Flying Burrito Brothers with Gram Parsons, hosts a show on Yoakam’s channel in which he traces the origins and influence of those genres as well as the California country sound.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• aerial
• floating
• soaring