🦇 Fly-By-Night: Trustworthiness in the Twilight

An exploration of those unreliables in our lives and linguistics, from historical dodgers to modern flibbertigibbets.

## Fly-By-Night 🦇

A whimsical look at folks who're here today, gone tomorrow! 🚶‍♂️✨

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### Definition:

**Fly-by-night** - (n; adj): An unreliable or irresponsible individual, especially one not to be trusted in business dealings. 

**Origins:** This expression originated in the late 18th century to describe a person who evades creditors by sneaking away at night. Though its usage has evolved, its underpinning remains unwavering: distrust.

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### Synonyms and Antonyms:

**Synonyms:** Profiteer, opportunist, shyster, dodger, unreliable, scammer, flibbertigibbet.

**Antonyms:** Steadfast, reliable, trustworthy, dependable, constant.

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### Fun Fact 🎩:

According to Francis Grose’s "Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue" (1796), the term "fly-by-night" was also an unflattering term for an old woman accused of being a witch (flying at night). In true linguistic wanderlust style, it later became British slang for a prostitute (who worked mostly at night), and by extension, a prostitute’s vagina.

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### Similar Terms and Expressions:

- **Snake oil salesman**: Someone who sells fraudulent goods as legitimate.
- **Con artist**: A person who cheats or tricks others by persuading them to believe something that is not true.
- **Fair-weather friend**: Someone who is only a friend when things are going well.
- **Here today, gone tomorrow**: Someone who is unreliable or likely to disappear suddenly.
- **Johnny-come-lately**: A newcomer who changes the dynamics, often for the worse.

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### Quotes:

> "A fly-by-night can only shine in darkness. In the light of day, they've nothing but shadows." - *Florence L. Flightfancy*

> "Trust a fly-by-night and you might as well dance with shadows." - *Douglas N. Dartaway*

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### Proverbs and Wisdom 🍃:

- "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." – Emphasizes the importance of not being deceived multiple times by the same trickster.
- "Appearances are often deceiving." – A reminder to look beyond the surface before trusting someone.

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### Suggested Literature & Entertainment 📚🍿:

- **Book**: 🕵️‍♂️ *"Catch Me If You Can"* by Frank W. Abagnale – The true-life story of the notorious con artist.
- **Movie**: 🌟 *"Catch Me If You Can"* (2002) directed by Steven Spielberg – The cinematic rendition of Abagnale's exploits.
- **Song**: 🎶 *"Highwayman"* by The Highwaymen – A ballad about the lives of several criminals in various historical contexts.
- **Poetry**: 📜 *"The Raven"* by Edgar Allan Poe – Though not about fly-by-nights per se, its themes of eerie, transient visitations parallel our concept.
- **TV Series**: 📺 *"Better Call Saul"* – A show featuring arguably some of the most charming fly-by-nights in legal advice.

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### Which of these is an idiom referring to an unreliable person?
- [x] Fly-by-night
- [ ] Moonlight tailor
- [ ] Hummingbird handler
- [ ] Starlight spinner

> **Explanation:** "Fly-by-night" is a well-known idiom for an unreliable person, particularly in business dealings.



### Which phrase is synonymous with "fly-by-night"?
- [ ] Wedded to wisdom
- [x] Snake oil salesman
- [ ] Riding the lightning
- [ ] Purple elephant radar

> **Explanation:** "Snake oil salesman" is synonymous with fly-by-night, often used to describe a deceitful person selling fraudulent goods.



### True or False: 'Fair-weather friend' can be used similarly to 'fly-by-night.'
- [x] True
- [ ] False

> **Explanation:** "Fair-weather friend" suggests someone who is only reliable during good times, similarly unreliable as a fly-by-night.



### Which of these quotes reflects the essence of 'fly-by-night'?
- [x] "Trust a fly-by-night and you might as well dance with shadows."
- [ ] "An unwavering spirit will find the light."
- [ ] "Through hardship, comes clarity and resoluteness."
- [ ] "The early bird catches the worm."

> **Explanation:** The first quote directly addresses the untrustworthy nature of a fly-by-night.



### What is an antonym of 'fly-by-night'?
- [ ] Shyster
- [x] Reliable
- [ ] Flibbertigibbet
- [ ] Opportunist

> **Explanation:** "Reliable" is an antonym of fly-by-night, as it describes someone who is dependable and trustworthy.



### True or False: 'Snake oil salesman' is a positive term.
- [ ] True
- [x] False

> **Explanation:** "Snake oil salesman" is pejorative, suggesting a person who scams or deceives others.






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Fly on feathered winds of reliability and tread the paths of trust with eagle eyes! 🦅✨ 

Be vigilant and may your encounters with fly-by-nights be fleeting and filled with wisdom.

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*Published by E. V. Idlecurious on October 01, 2023.*