put to flight

put (one) to flight

To cause someone to flee. Often used in passive constructions. The heroic officer stood in front of the bank tellers with his weapon raised toward the would-be burglars, putting them to flight instantly. It's nearly impossible to conceive of so many people being put to flight from their own country because of this conflict.
See also: flight, put
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

put to flight

Cause to run away, as in The bombs put the civilians to flight. [Mid-1800s]
See also: flight, put
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
See also:
  • tap
  • tap (one) for (something)
  • tap for
  • tap someone
  • tap someone for something
  • tapping
  • taps
  • starve (someone or something) of (something)
  • starve of
  • sandwich (someone or something) between (someone or something else)
References in periodicals archive
It is not that I think the world will change overnight, with peace prevailing, evil put to flight and our enemies confounded.
Richard Williamson: We need a respite from war; The Christmas spirit of peace and goodwill is even more important after 2001's horror
The Robins were put to flight in a 3-0 defeat at Oxford United last weekend and as manager Steve Cotterill said of his returning midfielder last night: 'Mark Yates was badly missed, not just for his individual contribution but for what he brings to the whole team.
Yates looks to rivals for perfect example
Wolves were put to flight by a Palace side and deservedly lost their first home match for two months.
TAME WOLVES; It's a hiccup - we're still going up, vows Mcghee
The correct types, for whom the "penis" was an object so distasteful that mere enunciation of the word was impossible, were put to flight by Decca's evoking of this vegetable marrow attached to a fellow on a bike.
'A most enormous penis.'(from a speech on pornography by Jessica Mitford)(Beat the Devil)(Column)
The New York Times Week in Review for Sunday, July 16, led off with a piece entitled, "Honor, Too, Is Put to Flight in Bosnia." The writer, Roger Cohen, said, "America still personifies the confidence necessary to draw a distinction between right and wrong and then fight for it." Give us a break!
The menace of war
I had, naturally, had visions of massed hordes of unspecified enemies being put to flight by the sight of me armed with some sort of bazooka and a bag of King Edwards.
We had one of those ...! BARRIE MILLS looks back at some of the most popular toys, games & gadgets of days gone by ... Spudguns
When Saudi civilians are put to flight by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebel missiles, the Obama administration looks the other way.
Iran Crowned as Top Regional, Nuclear-Threshold Power. Win for Obama, Fiasco for Netanyahu
In my years of watching wildlife, many of the fox/cat conflicts that I have seen resulted in the fox easily put to flight. In fact most fox/cat encounters are usually characterised by the two animals either ignoring each other or showing wary caution.
Rooting for Bruiser; Mailbag
The Bluebirds were put to flight as lowly Hull rose to Brown's challenge and roared into a three-goal half-time lead.
Football: Tigers release hidden dragon; CocaCola CHAMPIONSHIP LINDSAY SUTTON AT THE KINGSTON STADIUM
BURGLAR Mark Rose was put to flight when a plucky pensioner confronted him in her Coventry home and hit him with her walking stick.
Battling widow hit out at burglar