al volo

Italian

Etymology

Literally, “at the flight”. Compare French au vol.

Prepositional phrase

al volo

1. (also sports) while an object is still moving through the air

   un calcio al volo al pallone

   a volley kick to the ball

   (literally, “kick to the ball while it is still in the air”)

   • 2013, chapter 3, in F. Scott Fitzgerald, translated by Ferruccio Russo, Il Grande Gatsby [The Great Gatsby], Edizioni Scientifiche e Artistiche, page 73:

     Improvvisamente una di queste vagabonde, in un opale tremolante, coglie al volo un cocktail, lo butta giù per prendere coraggio e, muovendo le mani come Frisco, balla da sola al centro del palco.

     Suddenly one of these gypsies in trembling opal, seizes a cocktail out of the air, dumps it down for courage and moving her hands like Frisco dances out alone on the canvas platform.

     (literally, “Suddenly one of these vagabonds, in a trembling opal, seizes a cocktail out of the air, knocks it down to feel courage, and moving her hands like Frisco, dances on her own at the center of the stage.”)

2. (figurative) quickly and readily; on the fly

   Synonym: a volo

   capire al volo ― to understand immediately