Flue vs flew

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Grammarist

Flue and flew are two words that are pronounced in the same way but are spelled differently and have different meanings. They are homophones. We will examine the difference between the definitions of flue and flew, where these words came from and some examples of their use in sentences.

A flue is a pipe, duct, or tube through which exhaust gases from a fireplace, furnace, or boiler exit a building. The plural form is flues. The origin of the word flue is uncertain, though it is thought to have been derived from the Middle English words flue and flewe, which means the mouthpiece of a horn used during hunting. It may be related to the  Old French word fluie, which means stream.

Flew is the past tense of the verb fly, related words are flies, flying, flown. The verb to fly means to rise into the air, to travel through the air through the use of wings, to transport quickly, to travel via airplane. The word flew, past tense of the word fly, is derived from the Old English word fleogan which means to rise into the air or to soar through the air.

Examples

THE average price of Zimbabwe’s flue cured tobacco slid by 2% to US$2,74 per kg in the first 27 days of the marketing season, latest figures show. (The Zimbabwe Independent)

AN extractor flue at a Thai restaurant in Bournemouth has been accused of kicking up a stink. (The Bournemouth Echo)

A WORKING ex-RAF Harrier Jump Jet, which flew in the Falklands and has 3,000 air miles on the clock is up for grabs and expected to sell for a six figure sum. (The Sun)

The estranged husband of former Spice Girl Mel B ‘flew into a rage’ over her ‘tactile’ friendship with fellow pop star Cheryl during their appearance on The X Factor. (The Daily Mail)