Vocab Bloom Hub

fly-by-night

/ˈflaɪ.baɪ.naɪt/

2 entries

adjective

/ˈflaɪ.baɪ.naɪt/C1formalamericanbusiness
  • ruОписывает человека или компанию, которые ненадёжны, нечестны или могут исчезнуть без предупреждения, особенно после получения денег.

Describes a person or business that is unreliable, dishonest, or likely to disappear without notice, especially after taking money.

  1. Unscrupulous or dishonestC1informal

    Describes a business or person that is unreliable, dishonest, or likely to disappear without fulfilling obligations.

    ruНенадёжный или недобросовестный

    • They lost their savings to a fly-by-night investment scheme.
    • Be careful of fly-by-night contractors who demand payment upfront.
    • The company turned out to be a fly-by-night operation that vanished overnight.

    Synonymscrookeddishonestdisreputabledubiousfraudulentshadyslipperyunreliableunscrupulousuntrustworthy

    Antonymsdependablehonestreliabletrustworthy

  2. Short-lived or temporaryC1informal

    Lasting for only a brief period; not permanent or enduring.

    ruНедолговечный

    • His fame was fly-by-night, forgotten within a year.
    • The trend was a fly-by-night fashion that quickly faded.
    • They had a fly-by-night romance that ended abruptly.

    Synonymsbriefephemeralevanescentfleetingmomentarypassingshort-livedtemporarytransienttransitory

    Antonymsenduringlastingpermanentstable

Forms
  • more fly-by-night comparative form
  • most fly-by-night superlative form

noun

/ˈflaɪ.baɪ.naɪt/C1formal
  • ruСуществительное, обозначающее должника, который скрывается, чтобы избежать уплаты долгов.

A noun referring to a debtor who flees to avoid paying their debts.

  1. Fleeing debtorC1informal

    A person who leaves a place secretly to avoid paying debts or fulfilling obligations.

    ruНеплательщик-беглец

    • The landlord discovered his tenant was a fly-by-night who skipped town without paying rent.
    • Creditors were left empty-handed after the fly-by-night disappeared with their money.
    • The company turned out to be a fly-by-night, leaving many unpaid bills behind.

    Synonymsabsconderdeadbeatdefaulter

Forms
  • fly-by-nights plural form
  • fly-by-nights' possessive plural form
  • fly-by-night's possessive singular form