Middle English Dictionary Entry

flīen v.
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Entry Info

Forms flīen v. Also flighen, fleȝhen, flegen, fleiȝen, fle(i)ghen, flei(n, flen, fleon, vleon. Forms: pr. ppl. flī-ing, -and, flīhinde, vlīinde, flēghand, -ing, fleiȝing, flēand, -ing, fleoinde, vleoinde, fleoninde; sg. 3 flī(e)th, vlīð, flihð, vliȝþ, fliȝt, flēȝheþ, flēghes, fleith, fleis, fl(e)oþ, flēth, vlēþ, flucht; ipv. sg. flī(e, flīh, vlīh; p. sg. flǣh, flēgh, flei(gh, flī(g)h, vlīh, flī(e, flōgh, flōȝe, flou(gh, floo, floy, fla(g)h, flaȝe, flau(gh, flew(h, flwe; p. pl. fluȝen, fluwen, flūen, flewe, flōȝe(n, flō̆we(n, flauȝ, flawe, fleiȝ, flei(n, fleiȝt, flīghen, flī(e, flīed; ppl. flō̆wen, iflō̆we, flōn; perf. 3 is flō̆wen.
Etymology OE flēogan, flīogan; sg. 3 flȳhþ, flēohþ, flȳgeþ, flēogeþ; p. flēah, flugon; ppl. flogen. OE flēogan 'fly' and flēon 'flee' differed only in the stem of the present. In some dialects of ME the two verbs seem to have coalesced completely. Quots. have been assigned to flīen 'fly' and to flẹ̄n 'flee', resp., on the basis of meaning, irrespective of the OE source of the ME form.

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

Note: Cp. flen.
1a.
(a) To fly with wings; ~ with winges; ~ in (bi) the lift (air); ~ on heigh (upon height); ~ (one's) wei; fleing kind, flying creature, birds; (b) comen flen, ~ fleing, to come flying; (c) hawk. fly at game; ~ to game.
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1b.
Proverbs & sayings: flien for joie, be elated; ~ to heigh, be too ambitious; light as foul to ~; so longe flieth the flinder (buterflie) about the candel, [etc.]; so swithe so the foul flieth.
Show 9 Quotations
2.
To move or pass through the atmosphere or the sky: (a) of the soul or a person: fly; ~ to heven, go to heaven; (b) of stars, light: move, pass; fleing sterre, shooting star; of thunder and lightning: dash, dart, rush; (c) of clouds, dust, etc.: drift, float; (d) alch. fliing, volatile.
Show 26 Quotations
3a.
(a) To move swiftly on land or water: hasten, hurry, rush, dash, charge; (b) of fire: to spread quickly, leap; (c) of rumors: to spread; fliing tales, ~ tidinges, rumors.
Show 23 Quotations
4.
To move swiftly away from, or toward, something: (a) of missles and weapons: fly; leten flien, let fly, shoot (an arrow), hurl (a stone, etc.); leten flien at (someone), strike (someone); (b) of sparks, fire, lightning: burst or shoot forth; (c) of fragments: fly, be scattered; of a shield, a spear, etc.: ~ asonder, ~ on peces, go to pieces, be shattered.
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5.
(a) To fall or drop precipitously; ~ into the felde, ~ on felde, fall on the ground, be dashed to the ground; (b) to drop or leap violently (from a fixed position).
Show 16 Quotations

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