1 B2 idiomatic neutral
To suddenly rush at and physically attack someone or something.
"The guard dog flew at the intruder the moment it was released."
fly at
B2 informal transitive
To suddenly attack someone physically or verbally with great force and anger.
In plain English
Suddenly rush at someone to attack them, or shout at them very angrily.
What does "fly at" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
To suddenly start shouting at or aggressively criticizing someone in a burst of anger.
"She flew at him the moment he walked through the door, furious about what he'd done."
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To fly toward someone — moving through the air rapidly in their direction.
Actually means
Suddenly rush at someone to attack them, or shout at them very angrily.
Usage tip
Used for both physical attacks (a person or animal rushing at someone) and verbal outbursts (suddenly shouting at someone). More common in British English. Often conveys a sense of impulsive anger. The subject is frequently an animal or a person in a state of rage.
Words that pair with "fly at"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
someone attacker intruder opponent critic
How to conjugate "fly at"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
fly at
I/you/we/they
3rd person
flies at
he/she/it
Past simple
flew at
yesterday
Past participle
flown at
have + pp
-ing form
flying at
continuous
Hear "fly at" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "fly at" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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