In a general sense _fly_ is applied to winged creatures and _flee_ to persons. “What exile from himself can _flee?”_ “When the swallows homeward _fly.”_ The past tense forms are sometimes confused, as, “The inhabitants _flew_ to the fort for safety,” “The wild geese have all _fled_ to the South.” The principal parts of the verbs are:
Present. Past. Perf. part. fly, flew, flown. flee, fled, fled.
The verbs _flew_ and _fled_ in the foregoing sentences should be transposed. _Fly_ implies motion either from or toward. _Flee_ implies motion from. _Fly_ may be used, in a figurative sense, of persons, to indicate great speed as of wings. “I _flew _to his rescue.” “He _flew_ to my rescue.” “Resist the devil and he will _flee_ from you.”
The word _flown_ is sometimes used erroneously as the past tense or perfect participle of the verb _flow._ The parts of this verb are _flow, flowed, flowed. “_The river has _overflowed_ (not _overflown)_ its banks.”
Because a horse is willing is no reason why he should be ridden to death. The verb _get_ and its past-tense form _got_ admit of many meanings, as the following, from an old English publication, fully proves: “I _got_ on horseback within ten minutes after I _got_ your letter. When I _got _to Canterbury I _got_ a chaise for town; but I _got_ wet through before I _got_ to Canterbury, and I have _got_ such a cold as I shall not be able to _get_ rid of in a hurry. I _got_ to the Treasury about noon, but, first of all, I _got_ shaved and dressed. I soon _got _into the secret of _getting_ a memorial before the Board, but I could not _get_ an answer then. However, I _got_ intelligence from the messenger that I should most likely _get_ an answer the next morning. As soon as I _got_ back to my inn I _got_ my supper and _got_ to bed. It was not long before I _got_ to sleep. When I _got_ up in the morning I _got_ myself dressed, and then _got_ my breakfast, that I might _get_ out in time to _get_ an answer to my memorial. As soon as I _got_ it I _got_ into the chaise and _got_ to Canterbury by three, and about teatime I _got_ home. I have _got_ nothing more to say.”
Those who are disposed to overwork the words _get_ and _got_ will find it interesting and profitable to read the foregoing exercise, substituting other words for those in italics.