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fly

fly

53 7.9
A small artificial insect used to catch fish
  • noun
  • /flaɪ/
  • Specialized
: 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
fish lure
vsfly
3 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
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
wet fly
vsfly
  • Specialized
1 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
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
streamer fly
vsfly
  • Jargon
1 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
caddisfly
vsfly
  • Jargon
1 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
1 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
1 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

on the fly
  • Informal
25 5.3

Quickly while you do something, without planning

Openly oppose something, often against common sense or tradition

A person who watches a situation without being noticed

to hurt a fly
  • Informal
8 5.1

Be so gentle that you do not harm even a fly

8 6.8

To suddenly become very angry

6 5.9

To avoid being noticed by other people

Start to behave properly and follow rules

4 6.9

A small problem that spoils an otherwise good situation

to fly the coop
  • Informal
4 7.9

To leave a place suddenly without permission

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

on the fly
  • Specialized
1 4.6

Created while a computer program runs, not prepared before

To make quick decisions without a plan

the feathers fly
  • Informal
1 9.8

A situation where people argue angrily and things become chaotic

1 9.9

A small problem that spoils a good situation

pigs might fly
  • Informal
1 9.8

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

1 8.6

To openly go against usual rules or advice

Says an angry argument is likely to happen

Compounds

21 2.6

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

18 3.7

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

fly ball
  • Specialized
15 3.1

A ball hit high into the air in baseball

fly-by-night
  • Offensive
9 8.9

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

4 9.7

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

sacrifice fly
  • Jargon
4 6.7

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

fly-by
  • US
4 7.5

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

fly rod
  • Specialized
4 4.6

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

pop fly
  • Jargon
3 5.8

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

tsetse fly
  • South African
3 8.7

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

2 6.6

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

1 6.6

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

1 7.2

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

1 8.6

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

dry fly
  • Specialized
1 6.7

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

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

fly ash
  • Specialized
1 6.7

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

1 3.7

A large fast insect whose female bites animals for blood

Hessian fly
  • Specialized
1 9.9

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

1 9.9

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

flesh fly
  • Specialized
1 9.5

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

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

fly gallery
  • Specialized
1 9.9

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

1 5.1

A small fly near water that bites people and animals painfully

1 1.6

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

bar fly
  • Slang
1 8.1

A person who spends a lot of time drinking at bars

stone fly
  • Specialized
1 8.9

A winged insect that lives near streams and whose young live under stones in water

1 7.3

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

1 8.8

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

1 5.6

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

pop-fly
  • Jargon
1 5.7

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

shoo fly
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A South American herb with blue and white flowers and a papery round fruit

wet fly
  • Specialized
1 7.4

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

streamer fly
  • Jargon
1 8.9

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

1 9.8

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

warble fly
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A hairy fly like a bee whose young insects make lumps under the skin of cows

1 8.7

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

1 7.0

An opening in a skirt or trousers with a hidden zipper

robber fly
  • Specialized
1 9.6

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

1 8.4

A small fly that lays eggs on rotting fruit or open jars of sweet food

fly-by-night
  • Offensive
1 8.6

A person or business that disappears to avoid paying debts

1 9.9

A pale green fly that gives off a bad smell and whose young eat insects that harm plants

1 6.5

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

horn fly
  • Specialized
1 9.8

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

fly bridge
  • Specialized
1 8.3

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

1 9.5

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

fly poison
  • Specialized
1 9.9

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

deer fly
  • Jargon
1 6.1

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

louse fly
  • Specialized
1 9.9

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

1 9.4

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

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 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

deer fly fever
  • Specialized
9.9

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

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

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

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

9.8

A small plant in Europe with flowers that look like 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

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

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

How Realistic

insectlike
1 4.0
fly
  • Specialized
53 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.