IdiomAnimals
English
Englishfly-by-night
Meaning: Undependable; untrustworthy.
Example: “Don't hire some fly-by-night contractor who disappears after taking the deposit.”
Origin: Recorded from the late 18th century, when it could mean a witch or anyone who went out at night, and also a person who slipped away in the dark to avoid paying debts. By the 19th century it described untrustworthy businesses that might vanish overnight.
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