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fly

fly

55 7.9
A small artificial insect used to catch fish
  • noun
  • /flaɪ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : mosca
  • The experienced angler tied his own fly to match the bugs hatching on the water's surface.
  • fly fishing
  • fly casting

I cast my little fly fishing line into the water.

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Examples

  • I cast my little fly fishing line into the water.

  • Donald is a fly fisherman and a gourmet cook.

  • I cast my little fly fishing line into the water.

  • Second place, national fly fishing competition.

  • It's the weight of the fly line propels the fine leader with the fly on the end.

  • Fly-fishing is a great art.

  • Ellery, you'll never catch a fish without a fly in the water.

  • Jimmy got his fly rod out of the garage and sneaked off to the pond.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • A Coloradan by birth and temperament, White is an outdoorsman who counts fly-fishing and skiing among his favorite pastimes.

    Academic text (1993)
  • I'm getting myself a top-of-the-line Sauer 202, couple of vintage fly rods, spend the next three years up in Montana just huntin' and fishin'.

Synonyms

lure
vsfly
23 4.6

An object that attracts fish or other animals into a trap

is a small insect-imitating attractor used on light rod and line gear
dry fly
vsfly
  • Specialized
1 6.7

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

is any insect-like lure, not specifically one made to float on the surface
caddis
vsfly
  • Jargon
1 9.4

A man-made fly used by people who fish to look like a small insect near water

is a general insect-shaped lure rather than one for a single insect species
muddler
vsfly
  • Jargon
1 9.4

A type of fishing fly with a head of deer hair that looks like a small fish

aims to copy insects rather than imitating small fish or bottom prey
caddisfly
vsfly
  • Jargon
8.9

A small fishing bait made to look like an adult moth-like water insect

is broader, meaning any insect-shaped artificial lure not tied to one insect
deer fly
vsfly
  • Jargon
6.1

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

is the generic insect-like lure rather than imitating that one biting species
wet fly
vsfly
  • Specialized
7.4

An artificial bait that sinks and moves below the water to attract fish

focuses on surface or general insect imitation rather than subsurface sinking
streamer fly
vsfly
  • Jargon
8.9

A fishing lure with long wings that extend past the hook to look like a small fish

targets insect imitation, not small fish or larger aquatic prey
fish lure
vsfly
2.8

A small fake bait made of plastic or metal to attract fish

is a specific insect-shaped bait used in delicate rod-and-line angling
5.1

A small brightly colored fake bait used to attract fish

is an insect-imitating lure used in a different, more delicate fishing style

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 Realistic

fly
  • Specialized
55 7.9

Surface Forms

fly singular
flies plural

Etymology

Fly in fishing is a small artificial lure named because it looks like a tiny insect that 'flies' above the water, so anglers use a fly to attract fish that eat insects.