Definition of no flies on chiefly British, informal. —used to describe someone as quick to understand things and not easily fooled That chap is brilliant—there are no flies on him.
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Where does the saying no flies on him come from?
there are no flies on —
Early instances of this expression suggest that it originated with reference to cattle who were so active that no flies settled on them. The phrase was noted in the mid 19th century as being very common in Australia as a general expression of approbation.
What does always on the fly mean?
If you do something on the fly, you do it quickly, often while you are doing something else, without preparing and without thinking too much about how it should be done: This new rule seems to have been created on the fly. computing specialized.
What does fly about mean?
Definition of fly-about
1 : given to or characterized by irregular, casual, or aimless activity or motion soft fly-about hair a fly-about boy. 2 of a horse : skittish.
What does it mean to say no flies on you?
you are clever
No flies on you is a complimentary phrase roughly translating to ‘you are clever‘. This has been Aussie slang since the 1840s and is one Australianism that has even made its way to the US, rather than the other way around.
What is the meaning of cat on hot bricks?
Restless or skittish
Restless or skittish, unable to remain still, as in Nervous about the lecture he had to give, David was like a cat on hot bricks.
Is on the fly slang?
Colloquial usage
In colloquial use, “on the fly” means something created when needed. The phrase is used to mean: something that was not planned ahead. changes that are made during the execution of same activity: ex tempore, impromptu.
Why do flies land on me?
When a fly lands on you, it is attracted to all of the sweat and oils on your body that it could possibly eat for lunch or dinner. The oil secreted by humans’ skin is an excellent food sources for this pest and is the reason why they are so determined to sit on your body.
What does it mean to catch someone on the fly?
Hurriedly, on the run. This expression originally meant “on the wing,” that is, in flight, and was being used figuratively by the mid-1800s. An article in The Nation stated, “He may be said to have caught the Melanesian people on the fly” (Aug. 4, 1892).
What does fly in slang mean?
FLY. Definition: Cool, Sexy, Smart or Stylish. Type: Slang Word (Jargon)
What do flies mean?
Flies are seen as harbingers of disaster, heralds of death. Encountering a fly or a swarm of flies might mean that there is a source of danger or turmoil n your life which needs to be addressed. Encountering flies may also be a sign of stagnation. Flies are attracted to dead things.
What is a fly person?
A Flyperson – also referred to as a Fly Operator – is someone who operates the permanent weighted systems in theatres which are used to raise and lower scenery on stage.
What is the noun of the verb fly?
fly. noun (1) plural flies. Definition of fly (Entry 2 of 5) 1 : the action or process of flying : flight.
Who will bell the cat idiom meaning?
This relatively old idiom means to perform a dangerous or a risky task. When you ask someone ‘Who is going to bell the cat? ‘, you wish to know as to which individual has the courage to do something dangerous.
What does are cats on coals mean?
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishlike a cat on hot brickslike a cat on hot bricksBritish English, like a cat on a hot tin roof American English so nervous or anxious that you cannot keep still or keep your attention on one thing → cat.
Does the cat have your tongue meaning?
unusually quiet
The phrase ‘Cat Got Your Tongue’ is used to describe when someone is at a loss of words or being unusually quiet. Example of Use: “What’s the matter Lucy, cat got your tongue?”
Is it still cool to say fly?
Ok, it’s not really cool to be fly anymore, but it was all the rage in the 80s and 90s. And by that we actually mean the 1880s and 1890s because that is when the word “fly” started being used to describe someone who was clever and generally cool.
Will never fly meaning?
Meaning: If an idea or project, etc, will never fly, it has no chance of succeeding.
Is it OK to let flies land on you?
Those germs get caught in their legs and the tiny hairs all over their bodies, and can be transferred in just one second. So, rather than letting a fly leave cholera, dysentery and typhoid-causing bacteria on your food, you should probably just toss anything they land on.
Do flies purposely annoy you?
Are Flies Annoying On Purpose? Flies have no reason to annoy humans on purpose. In fact, most of the time, they don’t realize that they are even around humans. Flies do not see humans as a threat because they can see so well and fly so fast.
What does see you on the fly mean?
When you do something on the fly, you’re doing it fast and probably not carefully. A student scrambling to finish some homework on the school bus is working on the fly. A teacher who instructs the class without planning a lesson is teaching on the fly.