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fly

fly

50 5.4
A ball hit high into the air in baseball
  • noun
  • /flaɪ/
  • Jargon
translation icon : elevado
  • It's a long fly ball to deep left center!
  • a fly ball
  • an outfielder catches a fly

You don't make it seem like you're, oh, just taking this fly ball.

Examples

  • The next batter, Brian Peacock, lifted a deep fly ball to the right field corner.

    Blog text (16)
  • Here’s the swing, and a high fly ball to center field.

  • A deep fly ball to right field.

  • High fly ball down the left field line!

  • Angel hits a deep fly ball.

  • I reached second, but our next batter hit a pop fly straight to first base for the third out.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • The next batter up hit a fly ball to shallow left.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • Then Candy hit a booming fly ball and was the first player selected.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • He's had a single and a double and he drove in the Giants 1st run with a long fly to center.

  • The batter hit a high fly ball that soared over the outfielders.

Synonyms

fly ball
vsfly
  • Specialized
16 3.1

A ball hit high into the air in baseball

is the general baseball term for any such high batted ball
lob
vsfly
10 4.4

A high, curved throw of a ball or other object

is specifically the baseball term for any high batted ball
blast
vsfly
  • Jargon
4 3.6

A very long high hit in baseball often for a home run

is any high batted ball and may not be long or powerful
pop fly
vsfly
  • Jargon
3 5.8

A high ball hit in baseball or softball that is easy to catch

is broader covering high batted balls regardless of distance
to pop
vsfly
  • Jargon
2 6.9

To hit the ball high but not far so it is easy to catch

is the noun for any ball hit high into the air
flare
vsfly
  • Jargon
2 7.5

A fly ball hit a short distance into the outfield

is a broader category not limited to that infield gap
pop-up
vsfly
  • Jargon
1 3.6

A high fly ball that is easy for fielders to catch

is a wide term for any high batted ball not only short ones
popup
vsfly
  • Jargon
1 4.2

A short high ball hit into the air that a fielder can easily catch

is the general high batted ball term regardless of distance
pop-fly
vsfly
  • Jargon
5.7

A ball hit high into the air near home plate that is easy to catch

is any high batted ball that may travel farther

Antonyms

ground ball
  • Jargon
12 3.4

In baseball, a ball hit so it rolls or bounces on the ground

Idioms

Openly oppose something, often against common sense or tradition

to hurt a fly
  • Informal
14 5.1

Be so gentle that you do not harm even a fly

on the fly
  • Informal
14 5.3

Quickly while you do something, without planning

A person who watches a situation without being noticed

to fly the coop
  • Informal
12 7.9

To leave a place suddenly without permission

11 6.8

To suddenly become very angry

9 5.9

To avoid being noticed by other people

To make quick decisions without a plan

3 6.9

A small problem that spoils an otherwise good situation

on the fly
  • Specialized
3 4.6

Created while a computer program runs, not prepared before

Start to behave properly and follow rules

pigs might fly
  • Informal
1 9.8

A phrase people say to show something is very unlikely to happen

Says an angry argument is likely to happen

9.9

A small problem that spoils a good situation

To openly go against usual rules or advice

Show your true self to others, even if it seems strange

the feathers fly
  • Informal
9.8

A situation where people argue angrily and things become chaotic

Compounds

fly ball
  • Specialized
16 3.1

A ball hit high into the air in baseball

14 2.6

A small flying insect whose young eat and spoil ripe or rotten fruit

11 3.7

To fish with a rod and line using small fake flies as bait

fly rod
  • Specialized
3 4.6

A long, flexible fishing rod used to cast light flies for fishing

sacrifice fly
  • Jargon
3 6.7

A caught fly ball that lets a player on base score while it puts the batter out

pop fly
  • Jargon
3 5.8

A high ball hit in baseball or softball that is easy to catch

fly-by
  • US
3 7.5

A low flight by military planes over people watching on the ground

fly-by-night
  • Offensive
2 8.9

Not reliable and likely to disappear quickly, often for dishonest reasons

2 6.6

A small insect that bites people in warm places and can spread disease

fly-by-night
  • Offensive
1 8.6

A person or business that disappears to avoid paying debts

tsetse fly
  • South African
1 8.7

A large African fly that bites people and animals and causes sleeping sickness

1 7.2

A large fly with a shiny blue-green body that lays eggs on dead animals and in wounds

1 9.7

A small bright green beetle from southern Europe that makes a liquid causing blisters

1 6.6

A small dark insect that bites people and animals and makes itchy red spots

dry fly
  • Specialized
1 6.7

A small fake insect that floats on the water to attract fish

fly ash
  • Specialized
1 6.7

Fine light dust that rises when fuel burns, often in power plants

fly casting
  • Specialized
1 5.2

The use of a special rod and line to throw a small fake fly into water to catch fish

A small black and white fly whose young eat the inside of fruit

1 3.7

A large fast insect whose female bites animals for blood

8.7

A hairy fly that looks like a bee and whose young eat baby bees

A small insect like a moth whose young live in water and build protective cases from stones and plants

A small moth-like insect whose young live in water and build cases from pebbles and plants

A small insect with wings like a moth whose larvae live in water and build cases from sand and plants

A small moth-like insect whose young live in water and build cases from sand and plants

chalcid fly
  • Specialized
9.9

A very small wasp that lays eggs in other insects' eggs or young and helps control pests

chalcis fly
  • Specialized
9.9

A small wasp that lays eggs inside other insects so its young eat them

5.6

A long thin fly with very long legs that looks like a large mosquito but does not bite

deer fly fever
  • Specialized
9.9

A fever people can catch from ticks, flies, or touching infected wild animals like rabbits

5.1

A small fly near water that bites people and animals painfully

deer fly
  • Jargon
6.1

A small fake insect tied to a fishing line to attract fish

dobson fly
  • Specialized
9.9

Large insect with a soft body and long jaws whose young live in water and are used as fishing bait

9.9

A dark insect whose young live in water and eat other small animals

7.9

A North American bush with pale yellow flowers and berries eaten by birds

A winged insect like a dragonfly whose young dig small cone-shaped pits in sand to trap ants and other insects

bar fly
  • Slang
8.1

A person who spends a lot of time drinking at bars

A small shrub with pairs of yellowish-white flowers and bright red berries often grown in gardens

8.6

A small insect near water whose young are used for fishing bait

9.5

A small flying insect whose young are used as bait for fish

flesh fly
  • Specialized
9.5

A fly whose young eat the flesh of dead or living animals

A poisonous mushroom with a bright red cap covered in white dots that grows in forests

A North American bush that loses its leaves in winter and has upright stems and pale yellow flowers

fly bridge
  • Specialized
8.3

A small open deck above the ship's control room for steering and a better view

fly floor
  • Specialized
9.9

A narrow high platform at the side of a stage where crew use ropes to move scenery above it

fly frame
  • Archaic
9.4

A machine in a textile mill that twists stretched fibres into loose thread

7.0

An opening in a skirt or trousers with a hidden zipper

fly gallery
  • Specialized
9.9

A narrow high platform at the side of a stage where crew work with ropes and equipment

9.8

A small plant in Europe with flowers that look like flies

fly poison
  • Specialized
9.9

A poisonous plant with bulbs that people once used to kill flies

fly press
  • Specialized
8.4

A machine that uses a heavy wheel and a screw to push and shape metal

6.8

A flap of cloth over a tent entrance that keeps out rain and insects

6.5

A tent with an extra cover at the front that protects from rain and sun

A small delicate insect with thin net-like wings whose young eat garden pests like aphids

A large tropical insect with bright colors and a long nose once thought to glow

A large tropical insect with bright colors and a long snout, once thought to give light

long fly
  • Archaic
9.3

A long jump from a vaulting horse in gymnastics

louse fly
  • Specialized
9.9

A small insect that sucks blood and lives in feathers or fur

A small green insect with thin wings and shiny gold eyes that eats garden pests

A small shiny green fly often found near garbage or dead meat

harvest fly
  • Archaic
8.1

A loud insect that sings in summer, often in July and August

hanging fly
  • Specialized
9.9

A slender insect with long legs that hangs from plants to catch other small insects

Hessian fly
  • Specialized
9.9

A small fly whose young eat and damage wheat and other cereal crops

hemerobiid fly
  • Specialized
9.9

A small brown fly with delicate wings that eats pests like aphids

horn fly
  • Specialized
9.8

A small black fly that sucks blood from cows near their horns

1.6

A small common fly that lives in houses and can spread disease

ichneumon fly
  • Specialized
9.9

A wasp-like insect that lays eggs inside caterpillars so the young eat them

robber fly
  • Specialized
9.6

A large fast fly that catches other insects in the air and drinks their juices

penis fly trap
  • Offensive
9.9

A very revealing outfit that draws attention to the wearer's crotch area

pomace fly
  • Specialized
8.3

A small insect whose young eat rotten fruit like very ripe bananas

pop-fly
  • Jargon
5.7

A ball hit high into the air near home plate that is easy to catch

An insect that eats insects, with a long beak and antennae, whose males have a curved tail like a scorpion

swamp fly honeysuckle
  • Specialized
8.8

A bush that grows in wet swamp areas and has small berries

tachina fly
  • Specialized
9.9

A hairy fly whose young grow inside caterpillars and reduce crop pests

6.7

A flap of fabric that opens to let people into a tent

How Catchable

to pop
  • Jargon
2 6.9
to ground
  • US
7 5.6
fly
  • Jargon
50 5.4
to drive
36 3.5

Surface Forms

fly singular
flies plural

Etymology

Fly in baseball means a ball that 'flies' high in the air, and it is named from the verb fly because the ball moves up and through the air.