Meaning:

To defy or challenge danger/be very brave.

Background:

These days the expression to 'fly in the face' is usually connected with danger, but it can also be used in other contexts for example 'I asked my teenager a question and she just flew in my face...'

An early use is found in Thomas Wilson's The Arte of Rhetorique in which he wrote 'Let hym have his will, and he will flie in thy face'.

Alphabetical list of expressions

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