Flying ppl. a.

[f. FLY v.¹ + -ING².] That flies, in senses of the vb.

  1.  That moves through the air with wings. Sometimes with modifying word prefixed, as HIGH-FLYING.

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Gram., ix. (Z.), 44. Uolucer, fleoȝende.

1398.  Trevisa, Barth De P. R., V. liv. (1495), 171. The popyniay and the pellycan amonge fleeng fowles fede theimself with the fote.

a. 1577.  Gascoigne, Dan Barth., xviii.

1611.  Bible, Isa. xiv. 29. His fruite shall be a fierie flying serpent.

1667.  Milton, P. L., II. 642.

1732.  Pope, Ep. Cobham, 95.

1886.  A. Winchell, Walks & Talks Geol. Field, 10. Such a menagerie of curious beasts and crawling and creeping and flying things as never yet marched through the streets of any town.

  b.  In names of insects, as flying-buck-beetle, -glow-worm. Also of fish, reptiles, quadrupeds, etc., which by means of special appendages are able to make movements resembling flight; as flying-frog, -gecko, -gurnard, -herring, -lemur, -lizard, -marmot, -phalanger, -squid. Also flying-dog, a kind of vampire-bat; flying hart, stag = Fr. cerf-volant, a stag-beetle. Also FLYING-FISH, -FOX, -SQUIRREL.

1626.  Bacon, Sylva, § 712. In Italy, and the Hotter Countries, there is a Fly they call Lucciole, that shineth as the Glo-worme doth; And it may be is the Flying Glo-worme.

1676.  Phil. Trans., XI. 652. Tis a Kind of large flying Beetle, of a dark shining brown, with a huge pair of horns, (in proportion to the body,) shaped and branched exactly like a Staggs, or Harts, from which last it hath its denomination; Our people in Virginia and New England calling it a Flying Hart.

1688.  Clayton, ibid., XVIII. 126. Another little green Frog, that will leap prodigiously, which they therefore call the Flying Frog. Ibid. (1711), XXVII. 350. The Head of another strange one, which they call Ololo, and comes next to our Corvus [read Cervus] volans, or Flying Buckbeetle.

1765.  H. Timberlake, Mem., 45. Of insects, the flying stag is almost the only one worthy of notice; it is about the shape of a beetle, but has very large beautiful branching horns, like those of a stag, from whence it took its name.

1796.  Stedman, Surinam, II. xxii. 142. I had been bitten by the vampire or spectre of Guiana, which is also called the flying-dog of New Spain, and by the Spaniards perrovolador.

1840.  F. D. Bennett, Whaling Voy., I. 269. The flying-squid … rose from the sea in large flocks; leaping over its smooth surface.

1854.  Owen, in Circ. Sc. (1865), II. 62/2. The flying lizard (Draco volans).

1879.  Encycl. Brit., IX. 352. The other (Exocœtus) has been called Flying Herring, though more nearly allied to the Gar-pike than to the Herring.

1883.  Flower, ibid., XV. 401. Galeopithecus volans … The Flying Lemur of Linnæus.

1884.  John Gibson, Queer Fishes, in Longm. Mag., III. March, 523. There are two widely different groups of flying fish, namely, the ‘Flying Herrings’ and the ‘Flying Gurnards.’ The latter have the heavier bodies, but probably also the largest expanse of wing.

  c.  fig. † Flying pension (see quot.).

c. 1770.  H. Walpole, Mem. Geo. III. (1845), I. xxiv. 337. In the meantime Sandwich obtained what was called a flying pension, that is, it was to commence if he lost his place.

  d.  Flying horse, mare, a certain throw in wrestling.

1713.  Sir T. Parkyns, Inn-Play (1714), 41. The Flying Horse. [Described at length.]

1754.  Foote, Knights, I. Wks. 1799, I. 67. We don’t wrestle after your fashion; we ha’ no tripping; fath and soul! we go all upon close hugs or the flying mare.

1823.  in ‘Jon Bee,’ Slang.

  2.  That passes (usually, that passes quickly) through the air.

1535.  Coverdale, Job xiii. 25. Wilt thou be so cruell & extreme vnto a flyenge leaf, and folowe vpon drye stubble?

1563.  W. Fulke, Meteors (1640), 7 b. A flying, shooting, or falling star, is when the exhalation being gathered as it were on a round heape, and yet not throughly compacted in the highest part of the lowest region of the ayre, being kindled by the sodaine cold of the middle region, is beaten backe, and so appeareth as though a starre should fall, or slide from place to place.

1632.  Lithgow, Trav., II. 61. Wee in a sad reply, sent out a backe-sounding Eccho of fiery flying shots: which made an Equinox to the Clouds, rebounding backward in our perturbed breasts, the ambiguous sounds of feare and hope.

1656.  Cowley, in Roxb. Ball., VII. 449.

1789.  Trans. Soc. Encourag. Arts, VII. 54. It greatly diminishes the effect of the out-fall by the length of the way the waters have to run over a very flat, loose, flying, sandy coast, before they can disembogue into the river.

1811.  W. J. Hooker, Iceland (1813), II. 187. May possibly in the course of time be totally destroyed by the flying sands from the eastern country.

  † b.  Old Chem. = VOLATILE. Obs.

1471.  Ripley, Comp. Alch., VI. in Ashm. (1652), 161.

  3.  Floating loosely, fluttering, waving. Hence in wider sense, Attached so as to have freedom of movement, hanging loose. Flying jib, ‘a light sail set before the jib, on the flying jib-boom.’

1607.  Markham, Cavelarice, II. 54. This flying Trench is to be made in all proportion like a plain full english Snafle, hauing at each outward end a round ring, whereunto you must fasten your false reynes.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., I. 346.

1794.  Rigging & Seamanship, I. 239. They carry … a flying topsail.

1832.  Marryat, N. Forster, xli. Followed by the other ships in such close order that their flying jib-booms were often pointed over the taffrails of their predecessors.

1849.  Curzon, Visits Monast., v. 49. This costume consists of a red cap, a jacket with flying sleeves, a waistcoat with tight sleeves under it, a red shawl round the waist, a pair of trousers very full, like trunk hose, down to the knee, from whence to the ankle they were tight.

1859.  Gullick & Timbs, Paint., 201, note. It is only less difficult to give lightness to ‘flying drapery’ in painting than in sculpture.

  b.  In fig. phrase, (To come off, out of it) with flying colors: with outward signs of success and victory. Cf. COLOUR sb. 7 d, and COME v. 61 f.

1706–7.  Farquhar, Beaux’ Stratagem, I. i. We came off with flying colours, showed no signs of want, either in word or deed.

1887.  Jessopp, Arcady, ii. 63. Apply the same test to the tenant farmers of the last fifty years, and do they come out of it with any flying colours?

  † c.  Under or with a flying seal (= F. sous cachet volant): said of a letter with a seal attached but not closed, so that it may be read by a person who is requested to forward it to its destination.

1638.  W. Perkins, in Lismore Papers, Ser. II. (1888), IV. 15. He implieth your lordships honorable assistance to suport him, and prayeth y^t your lordship would be pleased to send y^t your order vp to him, with a flyinge seale.

1811.  Wellington, in Gurw., Desp., VII. 540. I enclose the letter which I have written to the Prince Regent under a flying seal.

  4.  That passes or travels swiftly, that passes by rapidly or rushes along; rapid. Flying leap: a running jump. Flying handicap, mile: one in which the starting-post is passed at full speed.

1658.  trans. Bergerac’s Satyr. Char., ix. 30. He being resolved not to participate of this base action, and being not in his power to remedy it, he got to the flying River side, and washes his hands of it.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 315.

1701.  Rowe, Amb. Step-Moth., IV. i. 1794.

1704.  Pope, Windsor Forest, 157.

1807.  Crabbe, The Parish Register, III. (1810), 31.

1871.  L. Stephen, Playgr. Europe, viii. (1894), 187. Sometimes playfully opening a large crevasse beneath our feet, and forcing us to take a flying leap which wad decidedly more convenient from above than it would have been from below.

a. 1893.  Westm. Gaz., 13 Oct., 5/3. Windle has done the ‘flying’ mile in 1 min. 56 4–5 secs.

1894.  Daily News, 21 May, 7/1. The Flying Handicap I shall leave to Moonflower.

  † b.  esp. in flying post, a post traveling by relays of horses, an express. Also (17–18th c.) in flying coach (also machine, carriage, etc.), the ordinary designation for a swift stage coach; flying packet, a packet sent by ‘flying post.’

1548.  Hall, Chron., Hen. VI. (an. 38), 177. Richarde Duke of Yorke, beyng in Ireland, by swyft currers, and flieng postes, was advertised of the great victorie.

1669.  Wood, Life (Oxf. Hist. Soc.), II. 153. 1669 April 5— M[onday], flying coaches set up.

1685.  Lond. Gaz., No. 2009/1. Last Night … a Flying Pacquet … brought us the … News of the Death of our Late Gracious Soveraign.

1705.  Hearne, Collect., 29 Sept. On the 19th came by a Flying Post a Pacquet from Court.

1741.  Richardson, Pamela (1824), I. 222. She had set out in the flying-coach on Tuesday.

1769.  Public Advertiser, 25 Sept., 4/2. One of the flying Machines from this City to London.

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 378. At the close of the reign of Charles the Second, flying carriages ran thrice a week from London to all the chief towns.

  c.  Passing, flitting; hasty, transient; esp. of a trip or visit. Also, Rapidly constructed, temporary.

1763.  Phil. Trans., LIII. 259. This indeed was a flying observation, or taken, as the French would say, en passant, beinng unprovided with a necessary apparatus.

1806.  T. Jefferson, Writ. (1830), IV. 51–2. Mr. Beckley then supposed he should take a flying trip to London, on private business.

1844.  J. W. Croker, in Croker Papers (1884), 7 July. I shall probably pay a flying visit to town, or more than one, before the session is over.

1857.  C’tess Canning, in Hare, Two Noble Lives (1893), II. 332. The superintendent of telegraphs, Patrick Stewart, goes to lay down a flying line to Lucknow if possible.

1878.  Bosw. Smith, Carthage, 286–7. A Carthaginian army, under Himilco, hovered near the walls, or made flying expeditions to other parts of Sicily, thus distracting the attention of the besiegers.

1879.  B. Taylor, Stud. Germ. Lit., 168. It is impossible for me, now, to give even a flying explanation of the many depressing influences which operated directly upon the literary activity of the German people during the latter half of the sixteenth and the whole of the seventeenth century.

  d.  Mil. and Naval. (Sometimes with mixture of sense 5; all the expressions are from Fr.) Said of a body of troops, or a squadron of ships, designed and organized for rapid movement, as in flying † army, brigade, column, † fleet, hospital, party, squadron. Flying artillery: a corps trained to rapid evolutions. Flying camp: see CAMP 2 b. Flying sap (see quot. 1876). Also FLYING-BRIDGE.

1665.  Manley, Grotius’ Low C. Warres, 391. This design being understood by Mondragonio, who with a flying Brigade marching out of Antwerp, infested all the Garrisons in his way, beyond the Maes and the Rhine.

1667.  Pepys, Diary, 28 Feb. We do intend to keep but a flying fleete this year.

1667.  Lond. Gaz., No. 181/3. The Flying Army that has been so long designed, will be speedily formed.

1702.  Rowe, Tamerl., I. i. 116.

1710.  Lond. Gaz., No. 4690/2. A flying Party will encamp in the Neighbourhood.

1809.  Wellington, in Gurw., Desp., V. 90. The stores belonging to the Flying Artillery.

1869.  E. A. Parkes, A Manual of Practical Hygiene (ed. 3), 624. The flying columns which go out from Aldershot show him something of the life of the bivouac. Ibid., 636. For moving columns and excursions, flying hospitals are organised.

1876.  Voyle, A Military Dictionary (ed. 3), 142/2. Flying Sap—In fortification, is a sap formed by placing and filling several gabions at the same time; which may be done at times when the attack is slack. The term is also applied to the usual formation of the second parallel in the attack.

  transf.  1670.  G. H., Hist. Cardinals, II. II. 161. In the last two Conclaves, he manag’d himself so with his flying Squadron, that it gave no little disgust to the Crowns, so see such a Combination of Cardinals driving with great resolution at the destruction of their interest, to make the Papacy wholly dependant upon their own.

1872.  Daily News, 22 Aug. A ‘flying brigade’ … has been formed to examine tickets at unexpected stations.

  5.  That flies about.

  a.  Of a tale, rumor, etc.: Circulating without definite authority. Flying sheet: a leaflet printed for distribution broadcast.

1425.  Paston Lett., No. 5, I. 20. I was nevere somouned, ne never hadde tydynges of this matier but by seyd lettres and other fleyng tales that I heve herd sithen.

1582.  N. Lichefield, trans. Castanheda’s Cong. E. Ind., lxxiii. 150. This was but a fleeing newes that was commaunded to be giuen out by the king of Calycut.

1630.  Ld. Dungarvan, in Lismore Papers, Ser. II. (1888), III. 157–8. There was a flying report heere that my Brother Digby was cast away comming ouer.

1682.  Bunyan, Holy War, 40. I hope they are but flying Stories.

1769.  Burke, Late St. Nat., Wks. II. 10. From the light squadrons of occasional pamphlets and flying sheets.

1855.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., IV. 374. There had been flying rumours that a Lord Keeper or a Lord Chancellor would soon be appointed.

1888.  Bryce, Amer. Commw., II. liii. 322. One must trust to a variety of flying and floating sources.

  † b.  Of a person’s mind: Volatile, unsettled.

1509.  Barclay, Shyp of Folys (1874), I. 177.

  † c.  Of a hound: Apt to ‘fly about’; not steady.

1684.  R. H., School Recreat., 13. When you would enter them, bring them abroad with the most Staunch and best Hunting Hounds; (all babling and flying Curs being left at home) and a Hare being the best Entering Chase, get a Hare ready before.

  d.  Of pains: Passing irregularly from one part of the body to another; migratory.

1805.  Heberden, in W. Saunders, Min. Waters, 199. The internal use of Bath water in flying pains and weaknesses of the limbs.

  e.  Itinerant. Flying stationer (slang): see quot.

1796.  Grose, Dict. Vulg. Tongue (ed. 3), Flying Stationers, ballad-singers and hawkers of penny histories.

  f.  Flying reed (Mining): see quot.

1798.  T. Keir, Min. Staffordsh., in S. Shaw, Hist. Staff., Gen. Hist., 119. These two beds [of coal] … when thus separated acquire the name of the Flying Reed.

1839.  Murchison, Silur. Syst., I. xxxv. 470. A variable coal seam which expanding and contracting (occurring at intervals only), received the name of ‘flying reed.’

  6.  = FLEEING ppl. a.

1594[?].  Greene, Selimus, Wks. 1881–3, XIV. 287.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., I. 415.

1781.  Gibbon, Decl. & F., III. 116. The massacre of many thousands of the flying Bastarnæ is represented by the poet, as a bloody sacrifice, which the Roman Achilles offered to the manes of another Patroclus.

1855.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., III. 641. Flying foot soldiers, weary and soiled with travel, were constantly coming in.