fly-aboutadj.
a. Given to ‘flying about’.Apparently an isolated use.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > aspects of travel > travel from place to place > [adjective] > given to
locomotive1732
fly-about1799
1799 J. West Tale of Times I. 298 Your good sense will keep you from running wild, as many of our young fly-about travellers do.
b. Of horses: skittish.Apparently an isolated use.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > family Equidae (general equines) > temperament > [adjective] > spirited or skittish
skeyc1440
skittish?1510
skeigh1513
fiery?1561
gay1590
sprightful1598
frampold1600
mettleablec1600
mettle1606
fire-snort1608
mettleda1627
spiritly1630
spiritful1644
mettlesome1655
skeighish1827
flighty1828
slashing1862
fly-about1889
buckish1911
snuffy1955
1889 F. E. Gretton Memory's Harkback 110 Two little blood-chestnuts..very fly-about, and disposed to bolt.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1897; most recently modified version published online June 2019).
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adj.1799