or flyer, subs. (racing and yachting).—1. A horse or boat of great speed; also (American railway) a fast train; hence, by implication, anything of excellence. Cf., DASHER, DAISY, etc. Also adj., = keen for.
1865. M. E. BRADDON, Henry Dunbar, ch. xxii. The mare’s in splendid condition; well, you saw her take her trial gallop the other morning, and you must know she’s a FLIER, so I won’t talk about her.
1884. HAWLEY SMART, From Post to Finish, p. 156. Atalanta might be a FLYER, but an artist like Pycroft, with a clever colt like Newsmonger under him, was quite likely ta outride whatever boy Mr. Pipes might now be able to pick up.
1887. VISCOUNT BURY and G. L. HILLIER, Cycling, p. 6. A moderate rider, not being an athlete or a FLIER … can … get over in an hour seven or eight miles of ground on a tricycle.
1888. St. Louis Globe-Democrat, 2 March. In spite of the strike passenger trains, what are known as the FLYERS, are running with reasonable regularity.
1890, Bird o’ Freedom, 19 March, p. 1, col. 1. Clearly the G.O.M. is no FLIER over this course.
1891. Licensed Victuallers’ Gazette, 20 March. Although he may doubtless be made a good deal better he may turn out to be no FLIER.
1891. Anti-Jacobin, 23 May, p. 400. When Dangerous, Plenipotentiary, Bay Middleton, and other FLYERS ran.
1891. Morning Advertiser, 28 March. In any event, he was never a FLYER at breakfast. But late at night, and when, perhaps, he tumbled across something equivalent to woodcock, tripe and onions, or a hot lobster, say, why then, take my word for it, he made up for previous abstinence.
1891. National Observer, 1 Aug. It remains to be seen whether large yachts constructed on the same principle will be equally invincible: that is, if the FLYERS we have are one and all to disappear.
2. (football).—A shot in the air. See MADE-FLYER.
3. (American).—A small handbill; a DODGER (q.v.).
TO TAKE A FLIER (American trade).—1. To make a venture; to invest against odds.
2. (venery).—To copulate in haste (GROSE); to do a FAST-FUCK (q.v.).
