Flying
Flying , adjective
[From Fly, v. i.]
Moving in the air with, or as with, wings; moving lightly or rapidly; intended for rapid movement.
Three species are known; that of the Atlantic is Cephalacanthus volitans.
It has lateral folds of skin, like the flying squirrels, and a featherlike tail.
Collocations (20)
Flying army (Military) , a body of cavalry and infantry, kept in motion, to cover its own garrisons and to keep the enemy in continual alarm. — Farrow
Flying artillery (Military) , artillery trained to rapid evolutions, -- the men being either mounted or trained to spring upon the guns and caissons when they change position.
Flying buttress (Architecture) , a contrivance for taking up the thrust of a roof or vault which can not be supported by ordinary buttresses. It consists of a straight bar of masonry, usually sloping, carried on an arch, and a solid pier or buttress sufficient to receive the thrust. The word is generally applied only to the straight bar with supporting arch.
Flying colors , flags unfurled and waving in the air
To come off with flying colors , to be victorious; to succeed thoroughly in an undertaking.
Flying doe (Zoology) , a young female kangaroo.
Flying Dutchman , (a) A fabled Dutch mariner condemned for his crimes to sail the seas till the day of judgment. (b) A spectral ship.
Flying frog (Zoology) , either of two East Indian tree frogs of the genus Rhacophorus (Rhacophorus nigrapalmatus and Rhacophorus pardalis), having very large and broadly webbed feet, which serve as parachutes, and enable it to make very long leaps.
Flying gurnard (Zoology) , a species of gurnard of the genus Cephalacanthus or Dactylopterus, with very large pectoral fins, said to be able to fly like the flying fish, but not for so great a distance.
Flying jib (Nautical) , a sail extended outside of the standing jib, on the flying-jib boom.
Flying-jib boom (Nautical) , an extension of the jib boom.
Flying kites (Nautical) , light sails carried only in fine weather.
Flying level (Civil Engineering) , a reconnoissance level over the course of a projected road, canal, etc.
Flying machine or Flying mouse or Flying party or Flying phalanger or Flying pinion or Flying sap or Flying shot or Flying spider or Flying squid or Flying squirrel or Flying start or Flying torch (Zoology) , any apparatus for navigating through the air, especially a heavier-than-air machine. the opossum mouse (Acrobates pygmaus), a marsupial of Australia. Called also feathertail glider. a body of soldiers detailed to hover about an enemy. one of several species of small marsuupials of the genera Petaurus and Belideus, of Australia and New Guinea, having lateral folds like those of the flying squirrels. The sugar squirrel (Belideus sciureus), and the ariel (Belideus ariel), are the best known; -- called also squirrel petaurus and flying squirrel. See Sugar squirrel. the fly of a clock. the rapid construction of trenches (when the enemy's fire of case shot precludes the method of simple trenching), by means of gabions placed in juxtaposition and filled with earth. a shot fired at a moving object, as a bird on the wing. See Ballooning spider. an oceanic squid (Ommastrephes Bartramii syn. Sthenoteuthis Bartramii), abundant in the Gulf Stream, which is able to leap out of the water with such force that it often falls on the deck of a vessel. See Flying squirrel, in the Vocabulary. a start in a sailing race in which the signal is given while the vessels are under way. a torch attached to a long staff and used for signaling at night.