flea
A small, wingless, parasitic insect of the order Siphonaptera, renowned for its bloodsucking habits and jumping abilities.
Noun
- A small, wingless, parasitic insect of the order Siphonaptera, renowned for its bloodsucking habits and jumping abilities.
- A thing of no significance.
- The nation of beggars on horseback which first colonized California has left behind it many traditions unworthy of conservation, and multitudinous fleas not at all traditional, but even less keepworthy […] - 1871, Fitz...
Origin
From Middle English fle, from Old English flēah, flēa, from Proto-West Germanic *flauh, from Proto-Germanic *flauhaz (compare West Frisian flie, Low German Flo, Flö, Dutch vlo, German Floh, Icelandic fló), from pre-Germanic *plóukos, *plówkos, from or akin to Proto-Indo-European *plus- (compare Latin pulex, Sanskrit प्लुषि (plúṣi)). The archaic plural fleen is from Middle English fleen, flen, from Old English flēan (“fleas”).
Forms
Derived
antiflea beach flea beflea chigoe flea deflea dog-flea model duck flea eight-spotted flea beetle fishhook flea fit as a flea flea allergy fleabag flea-bag fleabane flea beetle fleabite flea-bitten fleabitten flea bomb fleaborne fleabrain flea-brained flea circus flea collar
Verb Entry 2
- To remove fleas from (an animal).
- I have seen a Lubra, or native woman, suckling two puppies; and, like monkeys, these ladies have a particular fancy for fleaing their dogs. - 1861, Horace William Wheelwright, Bush Wanderings of a Naturalist, page 192:
Synonyms: deflea
Forms
Verb alt of, obsolete
- Obsolete spelling of flay.
- […] he'd flea me alive like another St Bartholomew. - 1605, Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote, Everyman's Library, published 1991, page 36:
- In this Thwackum had the advantage; for while Square could only scarify the poor lad's reputation, he could flea his skin […] - 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify...
Origin
Alternative forms.