英语词源字典 - 在线词源网站

fly (adj.)[fly 词源字典]: slang, "clever, alert, wide awake," by 1811, perhaps from fly (n.) on the notion of the insect being hard to catch. Other theories, however, trace it to fledge or flash. Slang use in 1990s might be a revival or a reinvention.[fly etymology, fly origin, 英语词源]
fly-by-night (n.): 1796, slang, said by Grose to be an old term of reproach to a woman signifying that she was a witch; used from 1823 in reference to anyone who departs hastily from a recent activity, especially while owing money. The different senses involve the two verbs fly.
fly-over (n.): also flyover, 1901 of bridges, 1931, of aircraft flights, from fly (v.1) + over (adv.).
fly-swatter (n.): in reference to a bit of wire mesh on a handle, 1917, from fly (n.) + agent noun from swat (v.). Simple swatter was used in this sense by 1906. Other older names for similar implements were fly-duster (1860), fly-whisk (1836), fly-brush (1823), fly-fan (1821), fly-flap (mid-15c., glossing Latin muscarium).
flyer (n.): also flier, mid-15c., "that which flies, thing or creature that flies," agent noun of fly (v.1). Meaning "something that goes fast" is from 1795. Meaning "speculative investment, financial venture" is from 1846 (on the notion of a "flying leap"). Meaning "small handbill or fly-sheet" is from 1889, U.S. slang (originally especially of police bulletins), on notion of "made to be scattered broadcast." Meaning "aviator" (1916) developed in World War I. Related: Fliers; flyers.
flying (adj.): early 15c., replacing forms from Old English fleogende "flying, winged;" present participle adjective from fly (v.1). The meaning "attached so as to have freedom of movement" (1670s) is the source of the nautical use (flying jib, etc.). Meaning "designed for rapid movement" (especially in military terms) is from 1660s; meaning "passing, hasty, temporary, rapidly constructed" is from 1763.

Flying fish is from 1510s; flying buttress is from 1660s. Flying Dutchman, ghost ship off the Cape of Good Hope, is attested since 1803 [John Leyden, "Scenes of Infancy," who describes it as "a common superstition of mariners"]. Flying colors (1706) probably is from the image of a naval vessel with the national flag bravely displayed. Flying machine is from 1736 as a theoretical device. Flying saucer first attested 1947, though the image of saucers for unidentified flying objects is from at least 1880s.
Flynn: surname, from Irish flann "red."
flypaper (n.): also fly-paper, 1851 (the thing itself is said to have become commonly available in London in 1848), from fly (n.1) + paper (n.).
flyte (v.): Old English flitan "to contend, struggle, quarrel;" related to German fleiß, Dutch vlijt "diligence, industry." Flitecræft was used in Old English for "dialectics."
flyway (n.): "bird migration path," 1891, from fly (v.1) + way (n.).
flywheel (n.): also fly-wheel, "heavy-rimmed revolving wheel to regulate motion," 1784, from fly (n.) "speed-regulating device" (1590s, from fly (v.1)) + wheel (n.).
fo'c'sle (n.): see forecastle.
foal (n.): Old English fola "foal, colt," from Proto-Germanic *fulon (cognates: Old Saxon folo, Middle Dutch volen, Dutch veulen, Old Norse foli, Old Frisian fola, Old High German folo, German Fohlen, Gothic fula), from PIE *pulo- "young of an animal" (cognates: Greek polos "foal," Latin pullus "a young animal," Albanian pele "mare"), suffixed form of root *pau- (1) "few, little" (see few).
foal (v.): "give birth (to a foal)," late 14c., from foal (n.). Related: Foaled; foaling.
foam (n.): Middle English fom, fome (c. 1300), from Old English fam "foam, saliva froth; sea," from West Germanic *faimo- (cognates: Old High German veim, German Feim), from PIE root *(s)poi-mo- "foam, froth" (cognates: Sanskrit phenah; Latin pumex "pumice," spuma "foam;" Old Church Slavonic pena "foam;" Lithuanian spaine "a streak of foam"). The plastic variety used in packaging, etc., so called from 1937.
foam (v.): Old English famgian "to emit foam, to boil," from the source of foam (n.). Sense of "become foamy, to froth" is from late 14c. Transitive sense is from 1725. Related: Foamed; foaming.
foamy (adj.): Old English faemig "covered with foam;" see foam (n.) + -y (2). Related: Foaminess.
fob (n.): 1650s, "men's small waist pocket for valuables," of uncertain origin, probably related to Low German fobke "pocket," High German fuppe "pocket," "a dialectal word used in Livonia" [Klein]. Meaning "chain or ornament attached to a watch carried in the fob" is by 1888, shortened from fob chain.
fob (v.): "to cheat," late 14c., from obsolete noun fobbe "cheat, trickster" (late 14c.), which perhaps is from Old French forbeter "to deceive, trick, dupe." Alternative etymology holds that the word is perhaps related to German foppen "to jeer at, make a fool of" (see fop); or from German fuppen, einfuppen "to pocket stealthily," which would connect it to fob (n.).

Meaning "to put or shift off (something) by pretense" is from 1650s; to fob (someone) off "put him off deceitfully" is from 1590s. Related: Fobbed; fobbing.
focaccia (n.): by 1994, from Italian focaccia, from Late Latin focacia, fem. of focacius, used of breads baked under the ashes, from Latin focus "hearth, fireplace" (see focus (n.)). Cognate with Spanish hogaza, Old French foace "griddle cake" (Modern French fouasse "a cake, bun"), Provençal fogassa.