A flea in the ear

A flea in the ear
Flea Flea, n. [OE. fle, flee, AS. fle['a], fle['a]h; akin to D. vtoo, OHG. fl[=o]h, G. floh, Icel. fl[=o], Russ. blocha; prob. from the root of E. flee. [root]84. See {Flee}.] (Zo["o]l.) An insect belonging to the genus {Pulex}, of the order {Aphaniptera}. Fleas are destitute of wings, but have the power of leaping energetically. The bite is poisonous to most persons. The human flea ({Pulex irritans}), abundant in Europe, is rare in America, where the dog flea ({Ctenocephalides canis}, formerly {Pulex canis}) and the smaller cat flea ({Ctenocephalides felis}) take its place. See {Aphaniptera}, and {Dog flea}. See Illustration in Appendix. [1913 Webster]

{A flea in the ear}, an unwelcome hint or unexpected reply, annoying like a flea; an irritating repulse; as, to put a flea in one's ear; to go away with a flea in one's ear.

{Beach flea}, {Black flea}, etc. See under {Beach}, etc. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • A Flea in Her Ear — ( fr. La Puce à l oreille) is a 1907 play by Georges Feydeau written at the height of the Belle Époque.PlotIt is Paris at the turn of the century, and the lovely Raymonde Chandebise, after years of wedded bliss, begins to doubt the fidelity of… …   Wikipedia

  • Flea — Flea, n. [OE. fle, flee, AS. fle[ a], fle[ a]h; akin to D. vtoo, OHG. fl[=o]h, G. floh, Icel. fl[=o], Russ. blocha; prob. from the root of E. flee. [root]84. See {Flee}.] (Zo[ o]l.) An insect belonging to the genus {Pulex}, of the order… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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  • flea — [fli:] n [: Old English;] 1.) a very small insect without wings that jumps and bites animals and people to eat their blood ▪ Are you sure the dog has fleas ? 2.) send sb off with a flea in their ear BrE to talk angrily to someone, especially… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • flea — /flee/, n. 1. any of numerous small, wingless bloodsucking insects of the order Siphonaptera, parasitic upon mammals and birds and noted for their ability to leap. 2. either of two common fleas of the genus Ctenocephalides, the very small, black… …   Universalium

  • Beach flea — Flea Flea, n. [OE. fle, flee, AS. fle[ a], fle[ a]h; akin to D. vtoo, OHG. fl[=o]h, G. floh, Icel. fl[=o], Russ. blocha; prob. from the root of E. flee. [root]84. See {Flee}.] (Zo[ o]l.) An insect belonging to the genus {Pulex}, of the order… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Black flea — Flea Flea, n. [OE. fle, flee, AS. fle[ a], fle[ a]h; akin to D. vtoo, OHG. fl[=o]h, G. floh, Icel. fl[=o], Russ. blocha; prob. from the root of E. flee. [root]84. See {Flee}.] (Zo[ o]l.) An insect belonging to the genus {Pulex}, of the order… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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