fly off at a tangent
To digress from a topic.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Please stay on topic and do not fly off at a tangent.”
“The professor often flies off at a tangent during his lectures, leaving the students confused about the main lesson.”
“During the heated board meeting, the director repeatedly flew off at a tangent, effectively stalling any progress on the critical budget proposal.”
- 01
fly blind
To do by guesswork; to feel one's way.
- 02
fly by
To pass or go past quickly, often without much interaction
- 03
fly by the seat of one's pants
To pilot an aircraft without the aid of instruments and without a flight plan, using only instinct, visual observation, and practical judgment.
- 04
fly in the face of
To act in a manner highly contrary to; to counteract or contradict.
- 05
fly in the ointment
Something (especially a minor thing) which ruins or spoils everything else, or makes it less pleasant; a nuisance or problem; a disagreeable or unpleasant detail.
- 06
fly low
To have one's fly (zipper) undone.
- 07
fly off
To flee rapidly; to run away.
- 08
fly off the handle
To become very angry or enraged; to throw a fit or go crazy.
Last updated August 10, 2026