flies

• IPA^(key): /flaɪz/
• Rhymes: -aɪz

flies

1. plural of fly
2. (plural only) The open area above a stage where scenery and equipment may be hung.
   • 1792, Charles Dibdin, Hannah Hewit: or, the Female Crusoe, London, for the author, Volume 1, Chapter 6, p. 167,

     […] I was born in the dressing-room, suckled in the flies, educated in the lobby, and brought up in the property-room […]

   • 1869, W. S. Gilbert, “Only a Dancing Girl” in The “Bab” Ballads, London: John Camden Hotten, p. 25,

     Hung from the “flies” in air,

     She acts a palpable lie,

     She’s as little a fairy there

     As unpoetical I!

   • 1937, Ngaio Marsh, Vintage Murder, New York: Jove Books, 1978, Chapter 14, p. 156,

     One of the staff was up in the flies fixing the weight for the mast. The head mechanist and Ted Gascoigne were down below on the stage, having an argument. Suddenly, the gentleman in the flies got all careless and dropped the weight.

• catch flies
• drop like flies
• no flies on

flies

1. Third-person singular simple present indicative form of fly

• Files, files, lifes