flying squad—
1. any body of persons organized for rapid movement or action:
- To speed justice, more frequent assizes and a “flying squad” of judges to hear cases during the Long Vacation are recommended.
2. (Flying Squad, the) a branch of London’s Metropolitan Police force, capable of moving quickly into action:
- It’s a Saturday evening and members of the Flying Squad meet at police headquarters in Brixton.
flying squadron—
1. a unit of the U.S. air force:
- I would change the organizational structure so the aircraft maintenance unit is part of the flying squadron to which pilots belong.
2. = flying squad 1:
- Ms. Dodson tells of the “Flying Squadron”—the nickname for a group of strikers who traveled to mills in order to plant the seeds of the union movement.
3. (Nautical) a detachment of vessels employed on any particular service:
- The Flying Squadron arrived at Cienfuegos, Cuba and established the blockade of that port.