fly by night
Here today, gone
Fly by night describes businesses or people who are unreliable, transient, or likely to disappear—especially to avoid debts or obligations.
A fly-by-night operation sets up quickly, takes money, and vanishes: Don't hire some fly-by-night contractor who won't be around to fix problems.
The term suggests untrustworthiness and impermanence.
- shadyDisreputable or sun-blocked
- con artistProfessional fraud perpetrator
- thiefOne who steals
- flightyErratic and unreliable
- unscrupulousLacking moral principles
clandestine · ephemeral · unreliable · cut and run · scam · snake oil · fast talker · dodgy dealer · fleeting · wing · opportunistic · cowboy · covert · fraudulent · cloak · vanishing · exploitative · moonlight
- idiomshit the sack, seize the day, ring a bell, break a leg, barking up the wrong tree
- Spontaneityimpulse, whim, snap decision, sudden urge, on a whim
fly by nightreputable
Having a good name
established · trustworthy · reliable · dependable · well-established
fly by nightestablished
Formally set up
reputable · well-established · permanent · stable · long-standing
fly by nightlegitimate
Conforming to accepted standards
bona fide · above board · licensed · certified · accredited
fly, night, flies, flown, flying, flier, flyer, nights, nightly