fly

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fly2 move with wings; (now in pres. stem only) flee. OE. str. vb. flēogan = OS. *fliogan (Du. vliegen), OHG. fliogan (G. fliegen), ON. fljúga :- Gmc. *fleuʒan :- IE. *pleuk-, extension of *pleu- (cf. *pleud- FLEET3). The normal ME. pt. flegh was at first replaced by the type flough, flow, which was transferred from the pl. to the sing.; this was superseded by flew, an unexpl. form perh. due to assoc. with the pt. of FLOW, the pp. of which had become identical with that of fly.

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