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let fly

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let fly (with) something

also let something fly

1. to throw something or shoot something from a weapon Police officers let fly canisters of tear gas. The guy in the leather jacket was leaping over the counter when I let fly with a soda bottle.

2. to express yourself in a way that will excite or anger others If you disagree with the officials, it's bad form to let fly with four-letter words. When she got together with her friends, they would let fly all their innermost secrets.

See also: fly, let

let fly (something)

to start shouting angrily (sometimes + at ) I was so angry I let fly at them as soon as they came in. Gripping the arms of his chair, he let fly a barrage of offensive comments.

See also: fly, let

let fly

Discharge a missile or fire a weapon; also, attack verbally. For example, He let fly a rotten egg at the speaker, or They let fly some insults laced with four-letter words. The first usage dates from about a.d. 1000, the second from the late 1500s.

See also: fly, let

let fly

1. To shoot, hurl, or release: The troops let fly a volley of gunfire.

2. To lash out; assault: The mayor let fly with an angry attack on her critics.

See also: fly, let