Phrase guide

fly on the wall

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A quiet, non-participating, or unseen observer; an eavesdropper or witness.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Danish: flue på væggen — quiet, non-participating or unseen observer
  • Finnish: kärpänen katossa — quiet, non-participating or unseen observer
  • French: petite souris — quiet, non-participating or unseen observer
  • German: Mäuschen — quiet, non-participating or unseen observer
  • Norwegian Bokmål: flue på veggen — quiet, non-participating or unseen observer
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: fluge på veggen — quiet, non-participating or unseen observer
  • Spanish: agujero en la pared — quiet, non-participating or unseen observer
  • Swedish: fluga på väggen — quiet, non-participating or unseen observer