fly in the teeth of

英：[flai in ðə ti:θ ɔv]

美：[flai ɪn ði tiθ ʌv]

verb (1)

intransitive verb

to move in or pass through the air with wings

bees flying around the hive

to move through the air or before the wind or through outer space

bullets flying in all directions

to float, wave, or soar in the air

flags flying at half-mast

to take flight : flee

was forced to fly for his life when his enemies came into power

to fade and disappear : vanish

mists flying before the morning sun

to move, pass, or spread quickly

rumors were flying

to be moved with sudden extreme emotion

flew into a rage

to seem to pass quickly

the time simply flew

to become expended or dissipated rapidly

After he became established in the town, his inheritance flew.

to operate or travel in an airplane or spacecraft

They flew to Florida for their vacation.

to work successfully : win popular acceptance

knew … a pure human-rights approach would not fly—Charles Brydon

transitive verb

to cause to fly, float, or hang in the air

flying a kite

to operate (something, such as a balloon, aircraft, rocket, or spacecraft) in flight

to journey over or through by flying

flew the Atlantic

to flee or escape from

The bird had flown its cage.

avoid, shun

fly such a talkative woman

to transport by aircraft or spacecraft

Supplies were flown to the disaster area.

noun (1)

the action or process of flying : flight

a device consisting of two or more radial vanes capable of rotating on a spindle to act as a fan or to govern the speed of clockwork or very light machinery

flywheel

flies plural the space over a theater stage where scenery and equipment can be hung

something attached by one edge: such as

a garment closing concealed by a fold of cloth extending over the fastener

the length of an extended flag from its staff or support

a baseball hit high into the air

flyleaf

a sheet of material (such as canvas) that is attachable to a tent for use as a double top or as a rooflike extension

a football pass pattern in which the receiver runs straight downfield

verb (2)

intransitive verb

to hit a fly in baseball

noun (2)

a winged insect—usually used in combinationbutterfly

mayflies

any of a large order (Diptera) of winged or rarely wingless insects (such as the housefly, mosquito, or gnat) that have the anterior wings functional, the posterior wings reduced to halteres, and segmented often headless, eyeless, and legless larvae compare maggot

a large stout-bodied fly

a fishhook dressed (as with feathers or tinsel) to suggest an insect

adjective

chiefly African American English impressively good, attractive, or stylish … the Destiny's Child alum knew she was looking flyer than ever, stopping to pose for a few extra flirty photo opportunities as she arrived.—McKenna Aiello Mary J. [Blige] had a tough job following up on one of the flyest debut albums in the hip-hop nation. Instead of trying to outdo herself, she took her music to the next level …—Gerald Dee

The singer was spotted out and about … looking fly as ever in an all-black hooded outfit.—Natalie Michie

chiefly British keen, artful

But Shakespeare never really fell foul of the secret police. He was too fly for that.—Boris Johnson

verb (1)

intransitive verb

to move in or pass through the air with wings

bees flying around the hive

to move through the air or before the wind or through outer space

bullets flying in all directions

to float, wave, or soar in the air

flags flying at half-mast

to take flight : flee

was forced to fly for his life when his enemies came into power

to fade and disappear : vanish

mists flying before the morning sun

to move, pass, or spread quickly

rumors were flying

to be moved with sudden extreme emotion

flew into a rage

to seem to pass quickly

the time simply flew

to become expended or dissipated rapidly

After he became established in the town, his inheritance flew.

to operate or travel in an airplane or spacecraft

They flew to Florida for their vacation.

to work successfully : win popular acceptance

knew … a pure human-rights approach would not fly—Charles Brydon

transitive verb

to cause to fly, float, or hang in the air

flying a kite

to operate (something, such as a balloon, aircraft, rocket, or spacecraft) in flight

to journey over or through by flying

flew the Atlantic

to flee or escape from

The bird had flown its cage.

avoid, shun

fly such a talkative woman

to transport by aircraft or spacecraft

Supplies were flown to the disaster area.

noun (1)

the action or process of flying : flight

a device consisting of two or more radial vanes capable of rotating on a spindle to act as a fan or to govern the speed of clockwork or very light machinery

flywheel

flies plural the space over a theater stage where scenery and equipment can be hung

something attached by one edge: such as

a garment closing concealed by a fold of cloth extending over the fastener

the length of an extended flag from its staff or support

a baseball hit high into the air

flyleaf

a sheet of material (such as canvas) that is attachable to a tent for use as a double top or as a rooflike extension

a football pass pattern in which the receiver runs straight downfield

verb (2)

intransitive verb

to hit a fly in baseball

noun (2)

a winged insect—usually used in combinationbutterfly

mayflies

any of a large order (Diptera) of winged or rarely wingless insects (such as the housefly, mosquito, or gnat) that have the anterior wings functional, the posterior wings reduced to halteres, and segmented often headless, eyeless, and legless larvae compare maggot

a large stout-bodied fly

a fishhook dressed (as with feathers or tinsel) to suggest an insect

adjective

chiefly African American English impressively good, attractive, or stylish … the Destiny's Child alum knew she was looking flyer than ever, stopping to pose for a few extra flirty photo opportunities as she arrived.—McKenna Aiello Mary J. [Blige] had a tough job following up on one of the flyest debut albums in the hip-hop nation. Instead of trying to outdo herself, she took her music to the next level …—Gerald Dee

The singer was spotted out and about … looking fly as ever in an all-black hooded outfit.—Natalie Michie

chiefly British keen, artful

But Shakespeare never really fell foul of the secret police. He was too fly for that.—Boris Johnson

Verb (1) and Noun (1) Middle English flien, from Old English flēogan; akin to Old High German fliogan to fly and probably to Old English flōwan to flow Noun (2) Middle English flie, from Old English flēoge; akin to Old High German flioga fly, Old English flēogan to fly Adjective probably from fly >entry 1

The first known use of fly was before the 12th century

fly1 of 4verb

to move in or pass through the air with wings

to move through the air or with the windalso: to move through outer space

to float or cause to float, wave, or soar in the air fly a kite

flags flying

to take flight : flee

to move or pass swiftly

time flies

to operate or travel in an aircraft or spacecraft

to journey over or through by flying

fly the Atlantic

to transport by aircraft or spacecraft

fly2 of 4noun

a garment closing concealed by a fold of cloth

the outer fabric of a tent with a double top

the length of an extended flagalso: the loose end of a flag

a baseball hit high into the air

fly3 of 4verb

to hit a fly in baseball

fly4 of 4noun

a winged insect

two-winged flyespecially: one (as a housefly) that is large and has a stout body in comparison with others (as a mosquito)

a fishhook covered to look like an insect

fly1 of 4verb

to move in or pass through the air with wings

to move through the air or with the windalso: to move through outer space

to float or cause to float, wave, or soar in the air fly a kite

flags flying

to take flight : flee

to move or pass swiftly

time flies

to operate or travel in an aircraft or spacecraft

to journey over or through by flying

fly the Atlantic

to transport by aircraft or spacecraft

fly2 of 4noun

a garment closing concealed by a fold of cloth

the outer fabric of a tent with a double top

the length of an extended flagalso: the loose end of a flag

a baseball hit high into the air

fly3 of 4verb

to hit a fly in baseball

fly4 of 4noun

a winged insect

two-winged flyespecially: one (as a housefly) that is large and has a stout body in comparison with others (as a mosquito)

a fishhook covered to look like an insect

fly1 of 4verb

to move in or pass through the air with wings

to move through the air or with the windalso: to move through outer space

to float or cause to float, wave, or soar in the air fly a kite

flags flying

to take flight : flee

to move or pass swiftly

time flies

to operate or travel in an aircraft or spacecraft

to journey over or through by flying

fly the Atlantic

to transport by aircraft or spacecraft

fly2 of 4noun

a garment closing concealed by a fold of cloth

the outer fabric of a tent with a double top

the length of an extended flagalso: the loose end of a flag

a baseball hit high into the air

fly3 of 4verb

to hit a fly in baseball

fly4 of 4noun

a winged insect

two-winged flyespecially: one (as a housefly) that is large and has a stout body in comparison with others (as a mosquito)

a fishhook covered to look like an insect

fly1 of 4verb

to move in or pass through the air with wings

to move through the air or with the windalso: to move through outer space

to float or cause to float, wave, or soar in the air fly a kite

flags flying

to take flight : flee

to move or pass swiftly

time flies

to operate or travel in an aircraft or spacecraft

to journey over or through by flying

fly the Atlantic

to transport by aircraft or spacecraft

fly2 of 4noun

a garment closing concealed by a fold of cloth

the outer fabric of a tent with a double top

the length of an extended flagalso: the loose end of a flag

a baseball hit high into the air

fly3 of 4verb

to hit a fly in baseball

fly4 of 4noun

a winged insect

two-winged flyespecially: one (as a housefly) that is large and has a stout body in comparison with others (as a mosquito)

a fishhook covered to look like an insect

fly1 of 4verb

to move in or pass through the air with wings

to move through the air or with the windalso: to move through outer space

to float or cause to float, wave, or soar in the air fly a kite

flags flying

to take flight : flee

to move or pass swiftly

time flies

to operate or travel in an aircraft or spacecraft

to journey over or through by flying

fly the Atlantic

to transport by aircraft or spacecraft

fly2 of 4noun

a garment closing concealed by a fold of cloth

the outer fabric of a tent with a double top

the length of an extended flagalso: the loose end of a flag

a baseball hit high into the air

fly3 of 4verb

to hit a fly in baseball

fly4 of 4noun

a winged insect

two-winged flyespecially: one (as a housefly) that is large and has a stout body in comparison with others (as a mosquito)

a fishhook covered to look like an insect

fly1 of 4verb

to move in or pass through the air with wings

to move through the air or with the windalso: to move through outer space

to float or cause to float, wave, or soar in the air fly a kite

flags flying

to take flight : flee

to move or pass swiftly

time flies

to operate or travel in an aircraft or spacecraft

to journey over or through by flying

fly the Atlantic

to transport by aircraft or spacecraft

fly2 of 4noun

a garment closing concealed by a fold of cloth

the outer fabric of a tent with a double top

the length of an extended flagalso: the loose end of a flag

a baseball hit high into the air

fly3 of 4verb

to hit a fly in baseball

fly4 of 4noun

a winged insect

two-winged flyespecially: one (as a housefly) that is large and has a stout body in comparison with others (as a mosquito)

a fishhook covered to look like an insect

fly1 of 4verb

to move in or pass through the air with wings

to move through the air or with the windalso: to move through outer space

to float or cause to float, wave, or soar in the air fly a kite

flags flying

to take flight : flee

to move or pass swiftly

time flies

to operate or travel in an aircraft or spacecraft

to journey over or through by flying

fly the Atlantic

to transport by aircraft or spacecraft

fly2 of 4noun

a garment closing concealed by a fold of cloth

the outer fabric of a tent with a double top

the length of an extended flagalso: the loose end of a flag

a baseball hit high into the air

fly3 of 4verb

to hit a fly in baseball

fly4 of 4noun

a winged insect

two-winged flyespecially: one (as a housefly) that is large and has a stout body in comparison with others (as a mosquito)

a fishhook covered to look like an insect