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Glite Dictionary
to fly at each other

to fly at each other

7.4
People suddenly fight or shout at each other with strong anger
  • phrasal verb
  • Informal
translation icon : pelearse
  • During the match, the players started to fly at each other after a controversial call.

Examples

  • We're just flying at each other. "Go," she told him.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • The siblings would often fly at each other over trivial matters, but they always made up quickly.

  • In the heat of the moment, the rivals began to fly at each other with harsh words and insults.

Synonyms

to fight
vsto fly at each other
∞ 1.0

To take part in a physical or verbal struggle against someone

is specifically sudden and intensely aggressive rather than general conflict
to go at it
vsto fly at each other
  • Informal
56 6.7

Act with a lot of energy, often fighting, arguing, or working hard

is more sudden and explosive rather than general energetic aggression
at each other's throats
vsto fly at each other
  • Informal
23 7.0

People argue or fight angrily with each other

is sudden and intensely aggressive rather than ongoing hostility
to brawl
vsto fly at each other
9 4.4

To fight loudly and violently in a public place

is sudden and personal aggression rather than noisy public disorder
to come to blows
vsto fly at each other
8 6.5

To start fighting physically with someone after an argument

is about immediate, fierce attack rather than escalation to physical blows
to wrangle
vsto fly at each other
6 6.8

To argue loudly for a long time

is sudden and brief in aggression rather than prolonged argument
to cross swords
vsto fly at each other
  • Informal
5 6.8

Argue strongly with someone, often in public

is more violent and sudden than a mainly verbal dispute
to scuffle
vsto fly at each other
4 5.1

To fight briefly at close range by pushing or grabbing

is more sharply aggressive and directed rather than confused scuffling

Antonyms

to make peace
89 3.4

To stop arguing and become friendly again

to reconcile
38 5.1

To become friendly again after a disagreement

How Aggressive

attack
∞ 1.4
to fly at each other
  • Informal
7.4
to snap at
22 4.3
quarrel
61 2.0
to argue
607 1.1
to disagree
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

fly at each other infinitive
flying at each other present participle
flies at each other third person singular
flew at each other past
flown at each other past participle

Morphology

fly + at + each + other

The components 'fly' (move quickly) + 'at' + 'each other' (reciprocal direction) create a clear literal image of people moving rapidly toward one another; the sense of sudden attack or furious confrontation is a metaphorical extension of that motion image but is directly inferable from the parts. Because the aggressive/argumentative nuance relies on this metaphorical extension rather than being completely arbitrary, the expression is only partially predictable to a learner who knows the words.

Etymology

The verb phrase fly at each other may come from the image of birds that fly straight at each other to attack. So it means 'to attack or argue suddenly and fiercely'.