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gadfly |
3 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Breeze \Breeze\, Breeze fly \Breeze" fly`\, n. [OE. brese, AS bri['o]sa; perh. akin to OHG. brimissa G. breme, bremse, D. brems, which are akin to G. brummen to growl, buzz, grumble, L. fremere to murmur; cf G. brausen, Sw brusa, Dan. bruse, to roar, rush.] (Zo["o]l.) A fly of various species, of the family {Tabanid[ae]}, noted for buzzing about animals, and tormenting them by sucking their blood; -- called also {horsefly}, and {gadfly}. They are among the largest of two-winged or dipterous insects. The name is also given to different species of botflies. [Written also {breese} and {brize}.] From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Gadfly \Gad"fly`\, n.; pl {Gadflies}. [Gad + fly.] (Zo["o]l.) Any dipterous insect of the genus {Oestrus}, and allied genera of botflies. Note: The sheep gadfly ({Oestrus ovis}) deposits its young in the nostrils of sheep, and the larv[ae] develop in the frontal sinuses. The common species which infests cattle ({Hypoderma bovis}) deposits its eggs upon or in the skin where the larv[ae] or bots live and produce sores called wormels The gadflies of the horse produce the intestinal parasites called bots. See {Botfly}, and {Bots}. The true horseflies are often erroneously called gadflies, and the true gadflies are sometimes incorrectly called breeze flies. {Gadfly petrel} (Zo["o]l.), one of several small petrels of the genus {Oestrelata}. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: gadfly n 1: a persistently annoying person [syn: {pest}, {blighter}, {cuss}, {pesterer}] 2: any of various large flies that annoy livestock
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