outflown

The eagle has outflown the smaller birds in the sky.

Definition

1. Verb (past participle of "outfly"):
   • To have flown faster, farther, or higher than: "outflown" means having surpassed someone or something in the act of flying, whether in speed, distance, or altitude.
   • To have escaped by flying: In older or poetic usage, "outflown" can mean having fled or escaped by flying away, often in a sense of evasion or avoidance.

Usage Examples

• Literal (flight comparison):

  • The champion pigeon has outflown all its rivals in the race. (It has flown faster or farther than the other birds.)
  • The fighter jet outflown the enemy aircraft in the sky. (It flew higher or faster than the opposing plane.)

• Poetic/Escapist (older sense):

  • The prisoner outflown the guards by scaling the wall. (He escaped by climbing and moving away quickly, as if flying.)

Advanced Usage

• "to have outflown one's past": to have moved beyond or escaped from a difficult history or situation.

  • After years of struggle, she felt she had outflown her childhood traumas. (She had successfully left behind painful memories, as if flying away from them.)

• "outflown by nature": used metaphorically to describe being surpassed by natural forces.

  • The migrating birds were outflown by the sudden storm. (The storm was faster or more powerful than the birds' flight.)

Variants and Related Words

• Outfly (verb, base form): to fly faster, farther, or higher than.

  • The eagle can outfly any other bird in its territory. (It can surpass others in flight.)

• Outflew (verb, past tense): the simple past tense of "outfly."

  • Yesterday, the hawk outflew the crow in the chase. (It flew faster than the crow.)

• Flight (noun): the act or manner of flying.

  • The flight of the swan was graceful. (The swan's movement through the air.)

Synonyms

• Surpass in flight: to exceed in flying ability.
• Outdistance: to leave behind in a race or journey.
• Outstrip: to go faster or farther than.

Phrasal Verbs

• Fly out of: to escape or leave quickly by flying or moving.
  • The bird flew out of the cage as soon as it was opened. (It departed swiftly.)

Related Idioms

• Fly the coop: to escape or leave a place suddenly.

  • The thief flew the coop before the police arrived. (He escaped quickly, similar to "outflown" in the older sense.)

• Spread one's wings and fly: to become independent or leave a familiar place.

  • After university, she spread her wings and flew to a new city. (She moved away, like outflown from the nest.)