flying squad: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, journalistic, organisational
Quick answer
What does “flying squad” mean?
A small, highly mobile team of police or specialists deployed rapidly to respond to emergencies or specific incidents.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A small, highly mobile team of police or specialists deployed rapidly to respond to emergencies or specific incidents.
Any small, fast-response team in an organization (e.g., medical, technical, military) designed to deal swiftly with urgent situations.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is strongly associated with UK police (especially the Met's 'Sweeney', from Cockney rhyming slang 'Sweeney Todd'). In the US, similar units are more commonly called 'rapid response unit', 'SWAT team' (for tactical), 'task force', or 'quick reaction force' (military).
Connotations
In the UK, it carries a specific institutional and historical weight (sometimes romanticised in media). In the US, it is more generic or understood as a Britishism.
Frequency
More frequent and established in UK English, especially in news and crime fiction. Rare in everyday American English.
Grammar
How to Use “flying squad” in a Sentence
The [Organization] has set up a flying squad to deal with [Problem].A flying squad was dispatched to the scene of the [Incident].[Subject] called in the flying squad.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “flying squad” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- He was a former flying-squad detective.
- The flying-squad operation was a success.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
A flying squad of IT experts was assembled to fix the critical server failure overnight.
Academic
The historical analysis focused on the establishment and efficacy of the interwar Flying Squad in combating organised crime.
Everyday
I heard the flying squad was involved in that big arrest last night. (UK)
Technical
The military's flying squad provides immediate CBRN reconnaissance and decontamination.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “flying squad”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “flying squad”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “flying squad”
- Using it to refer to any police unit (it's specifically a fast-response, investigative/tactical unit).
- Spelling as 'fliying squad'.
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'They flying-squadded the area' – incorrect).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while its origin and most common use is police-related, it can be metaphorically extended to any fast-response specialist team in medical, technical, or military contexts.
It is Cockney rhyming slang for the Flying Squad ('Sweeney Todd' rhymes with 'Flying Squad'). It is a well-known informal term in the UK, popularised by a 1970s TV show.
Yes, in hyphenated form (e.g., flying-squad officer, flying-squad operations). It is not standard to use it as a verb.
Not particularly. Americans are likely to understand it, but they would typically use terms like 'rapid response unit', 'SWAT team', or 'task force' for similar concepts.
A small, highly mobile team of police or specialists deployed rapidly to respond to emergencies or specific incidents.
Flying squad is usually formal, journalistic, organisational in register.
Flying squad: in British English it is pronounced /ˌflaɪ.ɪŋ ˈskwɒd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌflaɪ.ɪŋ ˈskwɑːd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly associated, but often appears in phrases like 'call out the flying squad'.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a squad of police that can 'fly' to a crime scene – not literally, but with great speed and urgency.
Conceptual Metaphor
MOBILITY IS FLIGHT (a squad that 'flies' is fast and unhindered). ORGANIZATION IS A BODY (the 'squad' is a specialized limb deployed by the larger body).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'flying squad' most idiomatically used?