fly off the handle

fly ¹  (fl)

v. flew (fl), flown (fln), fly·ing, flies (flz)

v.intr.

1. To engage in flight, especially:

a. To move through the air by means of wings or winglike parts.

b. To travel by air: We flew to Dallas.

c. To operate an aircraft or spacecraft.

2.

a. To rise in or be carried through the air by the wind: a kite flying above the playground.

b. To float or flap in the air: pennants flying from the masthead.

3. To move or be sent through the air with great speed: bullets flying in every direction; a plate that flew from my hands when I stumbled.

4.

a. To move with great speed; rush or dart: The children flew down the hall. Rumors were flying during their absence.

b. To flee; escape.

c. To hasten; spring: flew to her students' defense.

5. To pass by swiftly: a vacation flying by; youth that is soon flown.

6. To be dissipated; vanish: Their small inheritance was quickly flown.

7. past tense and past participle flied (fld) Baseball To hit a fly ball.

8. To undergo an explosive reaction; burst: The dropped plate flew into pieces. The motorist flew into a rage.

9. Informal To gain acceptance or approval; go over: "However sophisticated the reasoning, this particular notion may not fly" New York Times.

v.tr.

1.

a. To cause to fly or float in the air: fly a kite; fly a flag.

b. Nautical To operate under (a particular flag): a tanker that flies the Liberian flag.

2.

a. To pilot (an aircraft or a spacecraft).

b. To carry or transport in an aircraft or a spacecraft: fly emergency supplies to a stricken area.

c. To pass over or through in flight: flew the coastal route in record time.

d. To perform in a spacecraft or an aircraft: flew six missions into space.

3.

a. To flee or run from: fly a place in panic.

b. To avoid; shun: fly temptation.

n. pl. flies

1. The act of flying; flight.

2.

a. A fold of cloth that covers a fastening of a garment, especially one on the front of trousers.

b. The fastening or opening covered by such a fold.

3. A flap that covers an entrance or forms a rooflike extension for a tent or the canopy of a vehicle.

4. A flyleaf.

5. Baseball A fly ball.

6.

a. The span of a flag from the staff to the outer edge.

b. The outer edge of a flag.

7. A flywheel.

8. flies The area directly over the stage of a theater, containing overhead lights, drop curtains, and equipment for raising and lowering sets.

9. Chiefly British A one-horse carriage, especially one for hire.

Phrasal Verb:

fly at

To attack fiercely; assault: The dogs flew at each other's throats.

Idioms:

fly high

To be elated: They were flying high after their first child was born.

fly off the handle Informal

To become suddenly enraged: flew off the handle when the train was finally canceled.

let fly

1. To shoot, hurl, or release: The troops let fly a volley of gunfire.

2. To lash out; assault: The mayor let fly with an angry attack on her critics.

on the fly

1. On the run; in a hurry: took lunch on the fly.

2. While in the air; in flight: caught the ball on the fly.

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[Middle English flien, from Old English flogan; see pleu- in Indo-European roots.]

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flya·ble adj.

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fly ²  (fl)

n. pl. flies

1.

a. Any of numerous two-winged insects of the order Diptera, especially any of the family Muscidae, which includes the housefly.

b. Any of various other flying insects, such as the caddis fly.

2. A fishing lure simulating a fly, made by attaching materials such as feathers, tinsel, and colored thread to a fishhook.

Idiom:

fly in the ointment

A detrimental circumstance or detail; a drawback.

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[Middle English flie, from Old English floge; see pleu- in Indo-European roots.]

Thesaurus

Verb

1.

fly off the handle - get very angry and fly into a rage; "The professor combusted when the student didn't know the answer to a very elementary question"; "Spam makes me go ballistic" flip one's lid, flip one's wig, go ballistic, have a fit, have kittens, hit the ceiling, hit the roof, lose one's temper, throw a fit, blow a fuse, blow one's stack, blow up, combust rage - feel intense anger; "Rage against the dying of the light!"