Idiom
fly by the seat of your pants
Meanings
To do something without a detailed plan, improvising as you go.
To make decisions with little information, relying on instinct rather than preparation.
Definition
To fly by the seat of your pants means to act or make decisions quickly without a plan, relying on instinct and improvisation.
To fly by the seat of your pants means to handle a situation without careful planning or full information. You make decisions as you go, depending on experience, intuition, and quick reactions. It often suggests uncertainty, but it can also imply flexibility and confidence under pressure.
Examples
- We didn’t have time to prepare, so we had to fly by the seat of our pants.
- I was flying by the seat of my pants during my first week at the new job.
- Without a map, they flew by the seat of their pants and still found the place.
- He tends to fly by the seat of his pants when deadlines get tight.
More at C1 level
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More idioms
- Bob's your uncle Used to say that something will be easy or will happen exactly as expected after a simple step.
- close but no cigar Used to say someone almost succeeded but did not quite achieve the goal.
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- lost the plot To become confused or unreasonable and no longer understand what is happening or what matters.
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