fly at
phr. v..phr. v.. to suddenly attack someone, either with physical force or by shouting at them angrily.
phr. v.. to attack someone suddenly and violently, either physically or verbally; often implies a loss of temper or a sudden burst of aggression.
He suddenly flew at me because I broke his favorite mug.
The dog flew at the postman as soon as the gate opened, but luckily he wasn't bitten.
The CEO flew at his assistant for the minor clerical error, revealing the immense pressure he had been under during the merger.
- Particles
- at
- Separability
- inseparable
- Pattern
- fly + at + object
usually followed by a person as the object; implies a sudden, impulsive movement or outburst.
contrast with 'go for' or 'attack'; 'fly at' emphasizes the suddenness and the physical or metaphorical 'leap' toward the victim.
She flew to him in anger.She flew at him in anger.the preposition 'at' is necessary to indicate the direction of the attack; 'to' implies movement toward a destination without the sense of aggression.