Fly - English meaning

adjective

(of an unpleasant or unwelcome situation or phenomenon) present or experienced to a severe or intense degree.

Usage examples:

An acute housing shortage

noun

Short for acute accent.

adjective

If a bad situation is acute, it causes severe problems or damage

Usage examples:

She felt acute embarrassment/anxiety/concern at his behaviour., the problem of poverty is particula…

adjective

Having or showing an ability to accurately assess situations or people and turn this to one's advantage.

Usage examples:

An astute businessman

adjective

Quick to see how to use a situation to your advantage

Usage examples:

He was politically astute, and was soon appointed to a number of powerful committees in congress.

adjective

Able to understand a situation quickly and see how to take advantage of it

Usage examples:

An astute investor/businesswoman, his astute handling of the situation, an astute observer of human…

verb

(of wind) move creating an air current.

Usage examples:

A cold breeze was blowing in off the sea

noun

A strong wind.

Usage examples:

We're in for a bit of a blow

noun

A powerful stroke with a hand, weapon, or hard object.

Usage examples:

He received a blow to the skull

adjective

Having or showing shrewdness and good judgement, especially in money or business matters.

Usage examples:

Canny investors will switch banks if they think they are getting a raw deal

adjective

Intelligent and careful

Usage examples:

He is a canny investor.

adjective

Thinking quickly and cleverly, especially in business or financial matters

Usage examples:

These salesmen are a canny lot.

adjective

Quick to understand, learn, and devise or apply ideas; intelligent.

Usage examples:

She was an extremely clever and studious young woman

adjective

Having or showing a quick intelligence in doing something or in persuading people to do something

Usage examples:

It was certainly a clever ad and got a lot of attention., did you notice how she cleverly avoided a…

adjective

Having or showing the ability to learn and understand things quickly and easily

Usage examples:

Judy has never been very clever, but she tries hard., clever at uk fiona is very clever at physics.…

adjective

Covered with fine, soft hair or feathers.

Usage examples:

The baby's downy cheek

adjective

Filled with feathers

Usage examples:

A downy nest, a tiny baby's downy head

adjective

Covered with soft thin hair

Usage examples:

A tiny baby's downy head

verb

(of a bird) move (its wings) up and down when flying or preparing to fly.

Usage examples:

A pheasant flapped its wings

noun

A thin, flat piece of cloth, paper, metal, etc. that is hinged or attached on one side only and covers an opening or hangs down from something.

Usage examples:

The flap of the envelope

verb

Move in a wavy pattern or with a rising and falling motion

verb

Move swiftly and lightly.

Usage examples:

Small birds flitted about in the branches

noun

An act of moving house or leaving one's home, typically secretly so as to escape creditors or obligations.

Usage examples:

Moonlight flits from one insalubrious dwelling to another

verb

Move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart

verb

Rest or move on or near the surface of a liquid without sinking.

Usage examples:

She relaxed, floating gently in the water

noun

A thing that is buoyant in water.

Usage examples:

Eventually the many rings were threaded, the float attached, shotted and the hook tied on.

verb

Be on or below a liquid surface and not sink to the bottom

verb

(of a bird or other winged creature) fly unsteadily or hover by flapping the wings quickly and lightly.

Usage examples:

A couple of butterflies fluttered around the garden

noun

An act of fluttering.

Usage examples:

There was a flutter of wings at the window

verb

To move in quick, irregular motions, or to cause something to move this way

Usage examples:

[ i ] the flags fluttered in the breeze., there was a flutter of wings overhead.

verb

Move with a smooth, quiet continuous motion.

Usage examples:

A few gondolas glided past

noun

A gliding movement.

Usage examples:

The cuckoo makes its approach in a hawklike glide

verb

To move easily without stopping and without effort or noise

Usage examples:

She came gliding gracefully into the ballroom in a long, flowing gown., i love my new pen - it just…

verb

Suspend or be suspended from above with the lower part dangling free.

Usage examples:

That's where people are supposed to hang their washing

noun

A downward droop or bend.

Usage examples:

The bullish hang of his head

exclamation

Used to express a range of strong emotions from enthusiasm to anger.

Usage examples:

Hang, but i loved those soldiers!

verb

Remain in one place in the air.

Usage examples:

Army helicopters hovered overhead

noun

An act of remaining in the air in one place.

Usage examples:

Keep the model in a stable hover

verb

Hang in the air; fly or be suspended above

adjective

Showing or suggesting that one has knowledge or awareness that is secret or known to only a few people.

Usage examples:

A knowing smile

noun

The state of being aware or informed.

Usage examples:

As you can see the vedic way of knowing suggests that knowledge is an intrinsic feature of the soul.

verb

Be aware of through observation, inquiry, or information.

Usage examples:

Most people know that cfcs can damage the ozone layer

verb

Climb up (stairs, a hill, or other rising surface).

Usage examples:

He mounted the steps

noun

A backing or setting on which a photograph, gem, or work of art is set for display.

Usage examples:

A decorated photograph mount

noun

A mountain or hill (archaic except in place names).

Usage examples:

Mount etna

idiom

To not be stupid or easy to deceive

Usage examples:

You don't fool me - i wasn't born yesterday.

Aware of any changes or developments and quick to react to them

Usage examples:

We need someone who’s really on the ball to answer questions from the press.

phrase

Alert to new ideas, methods, and trends.

Usage examples:

Maintaining contact with customers keeps me on the ball

adjective

Able to react quickly and skillfully

noun

Shrewdness and practical knowledge; the ability to make good judgements.

Usage examples:

The corporate finance bankers lacked the necessary political savvy

adjective

Shrewd and knowledgeable; having common sense and good judgement.

Usage examples:

Bob is a savvy veteran who knows all the tricks

verb

Know or understand.

Usage examples:

Charley would savvy what to do

adjective

(of an object) having an edge or point that is able to cut or pierce something.

Usage examples:

Cut the cake with a very sharp knife

adverb

Precisely (used after an expression of time).

Usage examples:

The meeting starts at 7.30 sharp

noun

A musical note raised a semitone above natural pitch.

Usage examples:

Choices in successive levels expand to all notes, then sharps and flats.

adjective

Having or showing sharp powers of judgement; astute.

Usage examples:

She was shrewd enough to guess the motive behind his gesture

adjective

Able to judge a situation accurately and turn it to your own advantage

Usage examples:

He’s a very shrewd businessman., barbara made some shrewd investments.

adjective

Able to judge people and situations well and make good decisions

Usage examples:

My one big regret is about money - i wish i'd been more shrewd., simon is an extremely shrewd busin…

adjective

(of a person) clean, tidy, and well dressed.

Usage examples:

You look very smart

verb

(of a wound or part of the body) feel or cause a sharp stinging pain.

Usage examples:

Her legs were scratched and smarting

noun

Sharp stinging pain.

Usage examples:

The smart of the recent cuts

verb

Fly or rise high in the air.

Usage examples:

The bird spread its wings and soared into the air

verb

To increase or go up quickly to a high level

Usage examples:

Temperatures/prices soared, my spirits soared when i heard the good news., planes soared overhead.,…

verb

To increase quickly in amount, number, value, or level

Usage examples:

Corn, soybean, and wheat prices all soared this year., the organic industry's sales are soaring., a…

noun

A small, narrow river.

Usage examples:

A perfect trout stream

verb

(of liquid, air, gas, etc.) run or flow in a continuous current in a specified direction.

Usage examples:

She sat with tears streaming down her face

noun

A small river that flows on or below the surface of the ground

Usage examples:

Rivers are wider, deeper, and longer than streams., the faucet leaked in a steady stream., an endle…

adjective

Having the experience and knowledge necessary to deal with the potential difficulties or dangers of life in an urban environment.

Usage examples:

I wasn't streetwise enough to figure out what he had in mind

verb

(with reference to a scent, sound, etc.) pass or cause to pass gently through the air.

Usage examples:

The smell of stale fat wafted out from the cafe

noun

A gentle movement of air.

Usage examples:

Thus even a not-entirely-great movie like city by the sea feels like wafts of fresh air.

verb

To move gently through the air, or to cause this to happen

Usage examples:

[ i always + adv/prep ] a warm breeze wafted through the city.

verb

Move one's hand to and fro in greeting or as a signal.

Usage examples:

He waved to me from the train

noun

A long body of water curling into an arched form and breaking on the shore.

Usage examples:

He was swept out to sea by a freak wave

verb

(physics) a movement up and down or back and forth

noun

A circular object that revolves on an axle and is fixed below a vehicle or other object to enable it to move easily over the ground.

Usage examples:

A chair on wheels

verb

Short for big wheel (sense 2).

noun

A circular object, connected at the center to a bar, that is used for making vehicles or parts of machines move

Usage examples:

The wheel of a bicycle, i never feel safe with richard behind the wheel (= driving)., would you min…

adjective

Skilled at gaining an advantage, especially deceitfully.

Usage examples:

His wily opponents

adjective

Quick to think of things, having a very good understanding of situations and possibilities, and often willing to use tricks to achieve an aim

Usage examples:

A wily hunter

noun

(in a bird) a modified forelimb that bears large feathers and is used for flying.

Usage examples:

Besides having forelimbs that resemble the wings of modern birds, the animal sported long feathers …

verb

Travel on wings or by aircraft; fly.

Usage examples:

George satisfied his keen urge to fly by winging homewards with the royal air force

adjective

Experienced in the ways in which people behave and able to deal with most situations

Usage examples:

Tyler is remarkably worldly-wise for such a young girl.