# flying

Pronunciation: say "FLY-ing" /ˈflaɪ.ɪŋ/

## Verb

1. Present participle of fly. — present participle and gerund of fly
   - Simple: Present participle of fly. It often comes after is, are, or was.
   - _Storm clouds gathered while the planes were flying overhead._
   - _She spent the whole afternoon flying her kite in the park._

## Adjective

2. Moving through the air, or having the ability to do so.
   - Simple: Moving through the air, or able to move through the air, often using wings.
   - _The museum displayed models of flying reptiles from the dinosaur era._
   - _Engineers studied how flying beetles steer with their wings in midair._
4. Able to move rapidly from place to place; highly mobile.
   - Simple: Able to move very fast and change places quickly.
   - _The army deployed a flying column to strike behind enemy lines._
   - _The rebels relied on flying columns of mounted fighters that struck one village and were gone before government troops could arrive._
5. Done quickly and briefly, with very little time to spare.
   - Simple: Lasting only a short time and done in a hurry.
   - _The minister made a flying visit to the disaster zone before returning to the capital._
   - _She made a flying trip to Chicago to sign the papers and was back home in time for dinner._

## Noun

3. The action of moving through the air, especially of traveling in or piloting an aircraft.
   - Simple: Moving through the air, or traveling in or flying a plane.
   - _Modern flying relies on careful coordination between pilots and ground control._
   - _She took up flying in her forties and now spends most weekends piloting a small plane along the coast._

## Other meanings

- (adjective) Of a sail, set without being fastened to a yard, attached only at certain points.
- (adjective) Of a vessel, capable of foiling: rising onto hydrofoils so the hull lifts clear of the water.
- (noun) Sustained travel across water in which hydrofoils generate lift, raising the vessel's hull clear of the surface.
- (adjective) Designating a cattle brand in which a letter is extended on both sides with curved, tilde-like lines resembling wings.

## Origin

**Meanings 1–2, 4–5** — This comes from Middle English fleynge and Old English flēogende, from Proto-Germanic *fleugandz, the present participle of Proto-Germanic *fleuganą ('to fly'), essentially 'fly' plus '-ing'. It is related to Dutch vliegend, German fliegend, and Swedish flygande, all meaning 'flying'.
**Meaning 3** — This comes from Middle English flyinge, equivalent to 'fly' plus '-ing'. It is related to Danish flyvning and Swedish flygning, both meaning 'flying'.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/flying (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).