on the wing

English

Prepositional phrase

on the wing

1. While flying.

   Synonym: in flight

   • 1835 February, Thomas Hutton, “Observations on an Article in Loudon's Magazine of Natural History, on the subject of the Albatross”, in Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal‎^[1], volume 4, number 38, page 108:

     Next comes a supposition, that the bird sleeps on the wing, and that the great distance from land at which it is seen at close of day is thought to favour the supposition […] .

   • 1999, Scott Weidensaul, Living on the Wind: Across the Hemisphere with Migratory Birds‎^[2], North Point Press, published 2000, →ISBN, page 346:

     By surviving the rigors of a life on the wing, birds earn another chance to pass on their genes.

2. (figurative) During operation.

   Synonym: on the fly

   Hypernym: dynamically

3. (figurative) In motion.

   Synonym: on the move

4. (figurative) Departing.