flying fuck, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

flying fuck n.

also flying fling, ...frijole, ...one, ...shit

an all-purpose negative expression; usu. in comb., e.g. (not) give a flying fuck.

[1845		T. Rowlandson Pretty Little Games (1872) plate vi: Well mounted on a mettled steed, / Famed for his strength as well as speed, / Corinna and her favourite buck / Are pleased to have a flying f—k].
1926		L. Nason Chevrons 73: I’d tell ’em to take a flyin’ fling at the moon.
1932		B. Hecht Scarface [film script] ‘They said you could take a flyin’....’ ‘Okay, okay.’.
1952		J. Jones From Here to Eternity (1998) 535: I don’t give a flying f-- what anybody says.
1965		H.S. Thompson letter 18 Sept. in Proud Highway (1997) 540: I don’t give a flying fuck who cares or doesn’t care about my status situation.
1978		R. Price Ladies’ Man (1985) 235: I don’t give a flying fuck about nobody.
1980		A. Maupin More Tales of the City (1984) 56: You couldn’t give a flying fuck about those babies.
1987		‘Joe Bob Briggs’ Joe Bob Goes to the Drive-In 141: Who give a a flying frijole anyway?
1998		J. Lansdale Rumble Tumble 19: I don’t give a flyin’ shit your name’s God.
1998		J. O’Connor Salesman 323: ‘I think you’re after mixin’ me up with someone else here.’ ‘With who?’ ‘With someone who gives a flying fuck about you. That’s who.’.
1999		K. Sampson Powder 488: Keva did not give a flying one what anybody back home said.
2005		M.B. ‘Chopper’ Read Chopper 4 45: Who gives a flying shit about the judges.
2006		P. Carey Theft 23: Butcher Bones gave not a flying fuck about the puppy.
2012		(con. 1980s) I. Welsh Skagboys 134: Or mibbe [...] he couldnae gie a flying fuck aboot either ay yis.
2016		V. McDermid Out of Bounds (2017) 193: ‘I don’t give a flying fuck who you sleep with’.
2018		C. Hammer Scrublands [ebook] ‘He didn’t give a flying fuck about me’.
2019		D. Winslow Border [ebook] ‘[Y]ou didn’t give a flying fuck about the families of people who’ve ODed on the smack you launder’.
2021		C. Hammer Opal Country 236: ‘I don’t give a flying fuck about Big Deal Delaney’.
2024		C. Stella Joey Piss Pot 296: ‘Before you tell me they just lost a sister, let me be frank and say I don’t give a flying fuck’.

In phrases

take a flying fuck (v.) (also take a flying fling, ...jump, ...leap)

(orig. US) a derisory, dismissive phr.; also ext. by ...at a galloping goose! ...at a rolling doughnut! ...at a rubber duck! ...at the moon! ... at yourself!

1823		[C.M. Westmacott] Mammon in London 1 66: ‘Would you mind [...] undertaking a flying leap through the window?’].
1900		Bulletin (Sydney) 6 Oct. 32/2: We didn’t care for him at graft, and Alec’d tell him to take a flyin’ jump at himself as soon as look at him; we did pretty well as we liked.
1926		(con. 1918) L. Nason Chevrons 73: I’d tell ’em all to take a flyin’ fling at the moon.
1932		(con. 1910s) J.T. Farrell Young Lonigan in Studs Lonigan (1936) 118: So I tells them they could all take a fast and furious, flyin’, leapin’ jump at Sandy Claus.
1935		H. McCoy They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? (UK edn only) 44: ‘I told you to keep your mouth shut, didn’t I?’ he said to Gloria. ‘You take a flying ----’.
1935		J. Conroy World to Win 64: Go take a flyin’ jump at a gallopin’ goose fer all o’me. T’ hell wi’ ya and yer jocker, too.
1935		S. Kingsley Dead End Act II: Yeah? Well, go take a flyin’ jump at ta moon!
1946		D. Stivens Courtship of Uncle Henry 48: ‘What the hell are you doing there? You ought to give a man more room.’ ‘You go and take a jump at yourself.’.
1951		D. Dressler Parole Chief 110: ‘Why don’t you go take a flying leap and — yourself.’.
1956		in E. Cray Erotic Muse (1992) 337: If you’re ever in Gibraltar, take a flying fuck at Walter. / Can you do the double shuffle when your balls hang low?
1956		E. Hunter ‘The Last Spin’ Jungle Kids (1967) 160: Listen, they don’t like it, they can take a flying leap.
1960		I. Freeman Out of the Burning (1961) 13: ‘Oh take a flying leap at the moon!’ I said.
1976		N. Thornburg Cutter and Bone (2001) 152: Oh, go take a flying leap, will you?
1977		(con. 1949) J.G. Dunne True Confessions (1979) 119: Jim said, I could go take a flying fuck, you’ll excuse the expression.
1979		(con. 1949) J. Hurling Boomers 133: I [...] just told him to take a flyin’ fuck at a rollin’ doughnut.
1983		S. King Christine 354: If they look hot, tell him to take a flying fuck at a rolling doughnut.
1991		M. Myers et al. Wayne’s World [film script] Garth: You know what you can do with your show, Wayne? [...] You can take a flying...