fly out of the blocks
To begin quickly
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The runner flew out of the blocks at the start.”
“The team flew out of the blocks, scoring two goals in the first five minutes of the game.”
“The new startup flew out of the blocks, capturing a significant share of the market before their competitors even realized a shift in consumer demand had occurred.”
- 01
block out
to prevent (a thought) from entering one's mind.
- 02
chip off the old block
Someone who takes after one of their parents; (generally) a person similar to another.
- 03
fly blind
To do by guesswork; to feel one's way.
- 04
fly by
To pass or go past quickly, often without much interaction
- 05
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.
- 06
fly in the face of
To act in a manner highly contrary to; to counteract or contradict.
- 07
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.
- 08
fly low
To have one's fly (zipper) undone.
Last updated August 10, 2026