fly upon
C1 formal transitive
In simple words
Suddenly rush toward and attack someone or something (old-fashioned).
Literal meaning: To fly on top of or toward something — transparent when taken literally.
Meanings
1 C1 formal
To rush at and attack someone or something suddenly and aggressively (archaic).
"The hawk flew upon its prey with terrifying speed."
2 C1
idiomatic
formal
To seize upon an idea, opportunity, or topic eagerly and immediately (archaic/literary).
"He flew upon every weakness in her argument and tore it apart methodically."
Usage notes
Largely archaic and found mainly in older literature. In modern English, 'fly at' is the more natural equivalent for the attack sense. 'Fly upon' may appear in reading of 18th–19th century texts. Occasionally used in elevated or poetic contemporary writing for stylistic effect.
Commonly used with
enemy prey opportunity idea adversary
Forms
Base
fly upon
I/you/we/they
3rd person
flies upon
he/she/it
Past simple
flew upon
yesterday
Past participle
flown upon
have + pp
-ing form
flying upon
continuous
Understand "fly upon" better
Try:
Real video examples
Video examples are being collected. Check back soon.
Want to master this phrasal verb?
Practice "fly upon" on Looplines