fly

fly

¹

1. 

a. a flap forming the entrance to a tent

b. a piece of canvas drawn over the ridgepole of a tent to form an outer roof

2. a small air brake used to control the chiming of large clocks

3. the horizontal weighted arm of a fly press

4. Brit a light one-horse covered carriage formerly let out on hire

5. Theatre the space above the stage out of view of the audience, used for storing scenery, etc.

---

fly

²

1. any dipterous insect, esp the housefly, characterized by active flight

2. any of various similar but unrelated insects, such as the caddis fly, firefly, dragonfly, and chalcid fly

3. Angling a lure made from a fish-hook dressed with feathers, tinsel, etc., to resemble any of various flies or nymphs: used in fly-fishing

4. (in southern Africa) an area that is infested with the tsetse fly

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

fly

[flī]

(invertebrate zoology)

The common name for a number of species of the insect order Diptera characterized by a single pair of wings, antennae, compound eyes, and hindwings modified to form knoblike balancing organs, the halters.

(mechanical engineering)

A fan with two or more blades used in timepieces or light machinery to govern speed by air resistance.

---

Fly

[flī]

(astronomy)

Musca

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

fly

i. To operate an aircraft in flight.
ii. To ride as a passenger in an aircraft.

An Illustrated Dictionary of Aviation Copyright © 2005 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

Flies

(dreams)

These insects are annoying and they take away from the enjoyment of any moment or situation. Consider the details of your dream and try to figure out if these flies represent anything in your daily life. They could symbolize people and things that get in your way or they could mean that you are currently experiencing annoyance and frustration. Consider whether you are successfully getting rid of the flies in your dream or if they are overwhelming. This may give you a clue as to how well you are coping with distraction and frustration.

Bedside Dream Dictionary by Silvana Amar Copyright © 2007 by Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.

The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Fly

 

a river in the south of the island of New Guinea, in Papua New Guinea. The Fly rises in the mountains of the Central Range, forming for a short distance the border between Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. It empties into the Coral Sea’s Gulf of Papua, creating estuaries. It is 620 km long and drains an area of 64,400 sq km. The mean flow rate is 4,450 cu m per sec. High water occurs from December to April, and low water from June to August. The Fly is navigable for 300 km.

The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.