flying

be flying high

1. if a person or a company is flying high, they are very successful. The company was flying high as a maker of personal computers.

2. to be very excited or happy, often because of the effect of drugs. The guy was on drugs - flying high and scaring everyone around him. When the winter Olympics came to Canada, the whole country was flying high.

See also: high

come through/pass with flying colours (British & Australian, American & Australian)

to pass an examination with a very high score or to complete a difficult activity very successfully. She took her university entrance exam in December and passed with flying colours. The officer training was gruelling, but he came through with flying colours.

See also: colour, come, pass, through

get off to a flying start

to begin an activity very successfully. Maria got off to a flying start in her new job. With several customers on the books already, Tim's new business had got off to a flying start.

See also: start

kite-flying (British & Australian)

the act of telling people about an idea or plan so that you can find out what they think about it. Mr Baker's hint about US intervention in the war was undoubtedly an exercise in kite-flying.

set the fur flying

to cause a bad argument. She set the fur flying by demanding to see the letters.

See also: fur, set

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flying high

1. doing very well. All those companies were flying high at first, and next thing you knew they had all crashed to the ground.

2. to be very excited or happy. He just heard that he got the scholarship and is really flying high.

See also: high

off to a flying start

beginning very well. This year he's off to a flying start, playing very well and winning his first five games.

See also: start

send someone/something flying

to cause someone or something to move very quickly. An explosion rocked the building, sending him flying into a desk.

See also: send

with flying colors

with great success. She took a driving test and passed with flying colors. My brother always managed to get through his courses, although not always with flying colors.

Etymology: based on the small and colorful flags flown (= hung in the wind) on boats and ships in a race or when coming into port

See also: color