from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Flying \Fly"ing\, a. [From {Fly}, v. i.]
Moving in the air with, or as with, wings; moving lightly or
rapidly; intended for rapid movement.
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{Flying army} (Mil.) a body of cavalry and infantry, kept in
motion, to cover its own garrisons and to keep the enemy
in continual alarm. --Farrow.
{Flying artillery} (Mil.), artillery trained to rapid
evolutions, -- the men being either mounted or trained to
spring upon the guns and caissons when they change
position.
{Flying bridge}, {Flying camp}. See under {Bridge}, and
{Camp}.
{Flying buttress} (Arch.), a contrivance for taking up the
thrust of a roof or vault which can not be supported by
ordinary buttresses. It consists of a straight bar of
masonry, usually sloping, carried on an arch, and a solid
pier or buttress sufficient to receive the thrust. The
word is generally applied only to the straight bar with
supporting arch.
{Flying colors}, flags unfurled and waving in the air; hence:
{To come off with flying colors}, to be victorious; to
succeed thoroughly in an undertaking.
{Flying doe} (Zool.), a young female kangaroo.
{Flying dragon}.
(a) (Zool.) See {Dragon}, 6.
(b) A meteor. See under {Dragon}.
{Flying Dutchman}.
(a) A fabled Dutch mariner condemned for his crimes to sail
the seas till the day of judgment.
(b) A spectral ship.
{Flying fish}. (Zool.) See {Flying fish}, in the Vocabulary.
{Flying fox} (Zool.), see {Flying fox} in the vocabulary.
{Flying frog} (Zool.), either of two East Indian tree frogs
of the genus {Rhacophorus} ({Rhacophorus nigrapalmatus}
and {Rhacophorus pardalis}), having very large and broadly
webbed feet, which serve as parachutes, and enable it to
make very long leaps.
{Flying gurnard} (Zool.), a species of gurnard of the genus
{Cephalacanthus} or {Dactylopterus}, with very large
pectoral fins, said to be able to fly like the flying
fish, but not for so great a distance.
Note: Three species are known; that of the Atlantic is
{Cephalacanthus volitans}.
{Flying jib} (Naut.), a sail extended outside of the standing
jib, on the flying-jib boom.
{Flying-jib boom} (Naut.), an extension of the jib boom.
{Flying kites} (Naut.), light sails carried only in fine
weather.
{Flying lemur}. (Zool.) See {Colugo}.
{Flying level} (Civil Engin.), a reconnoissance level over
the course of a projected road, canal, etc.
{Flying lizard}. (Zool.) See {Dragon}, n. 6.
{Flying machine}, any apparatus for navigating through the
air, especially a heavier-than-air machine. -- {Flying
mouse} (Zool.), the opossum mouse ({Acrobates pygm[ae]us}), a
marsupial of Australia. Called also {feathertail glider}.
Note: It has lateral folds of skin, like the flying
squirrels, and a featherlike tail. -- {Flying party}
(Mil.), a body of soldiers detailed to hover about an
enemy. -- {Flying phalanger} (Zool.), one of several
species of small marsuupials of the genera {Petaurus} and
{Belideus}, of Australia and New Guinea, having lateral
folds like those of the flying squirrels. The sugar
squirrel ({Belideus sciureus}), and the ariel ({Belideus
ariel}), are the best known; -- called also {squirrel
petaurus} and {flying squirrel}. See {Sugar squirrel}. --
{Flying pinion}, the fly of a clock. -- {Flying sap} (Mil.),
the rapid construction of trenches (when the enemy's fire
of case shot precludes the method of simple trenching), by
means of gabions placed in juxtaposition and filled with
earth. -- {Flying shot}, a shot fired at a moving object,
as a bird on the wing. -- {Flying spider}. (Zool.) See
{Ballooning spider}. -- {Flying squid} (Zool.), an oceanic
squid ({Ommastrephes Bartramii} syn. {Sthenoteuthis
Bartramii}), abundant in the Gulf Stream, which is able to
leap out of the water with such force that it often falls
on the deck of a vessel. -- {Flying squirrel} (Zool.) See
{Flying squirrel}, in the Vocabulary. -- {Flying start}, a
start in a sailing race in which the signal is given while
the vessels are under way. -- {Flying torch} (Mil.), a
torch attached to a long staff and used for signaling at
night.
[1913 Webster]
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Buttress \But"tress\, n. [OE. butrasse, boterace, fr. F. bouter
to push; cf. OF. bouteret (nom. sing. and acc. pl. bouterez)
buttress. See {Butt} an end, and cf. {Butteris}.]
1. (Arch.) A projecting mass of masonry, used for resisting
the thrust of an arch, or for ornament and symmetry.
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Note: When an external projection is used merely to stiffen a
wall, it is a pier.
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2. Anything which supports or strengthens. "The ground pillar
and buttress of the good old cause of nonconformity."
--South.
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{Flying buttress}. See {Flying buttress}.
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