[f. FLEA sb. + BITE sb.]
1. The bite of a flea; the red spot caused by it.
1570. Levins, Manip., 149/27. A Fleabit, morsus culicis.
1789. W. Buchan, Dom. Med. (1790), 215. About the third or fourth day from the time of sickening, the small-pox generally begin to appear; sometimes indeed they appear sooner, but that is no favourable symptom. At first they very nearly resemble flea-bites, and are soonest discovered on the face, arms, and breast.
1801. Southey, in Robberds, Mem. W. Taylor, I. 378. The newspapers I hear are at me: I am used to flea-bites, and never scratch a pimple to a sore.
1884. Syd. Soc. Lex., s.v., Flea-bites have been mistaken for purpuric spots, the rash of typhoid, and other appearances.
2. fig. Anything that causes only slight pain; a trifling inconvenience or discomfort; a hurt, loss, accident, etc. of very small consequence or importance; a mere trifle. (Cf. FLEA-BITING 2.)
[c. 1440. Hylton, Scala Perf. (W. de W., 1494), I. xxxviii. The felynge of thyse temptacions fyleth the soule nomore than yf they herde an hounde berke, or a flee byte.]
1582. Breton, Floorish vpon Fancie (Grosart), 25/1.
| Then thinke you, what vyle torments doo I feele, | |
| When all these pangues are but Flea-bytes to mine: | |
| I neuer came to top of Fortune’s wheele, | |
| But vnnerneath, in dolours still doo pine. |
1630. J. Taylor (Water P.), Brood Cormorants, Cutpurse, 12.
| If they doe lose by Pirates, tempests, rocks, | |
| ’Tis but a Fleabite to their wealthy stockes: | |
| Whilst the poore Cutpurse day and night doth toile, | |
| Watches and wardes, and doth himselfe turmoile. |
a. 1656. Bp. Hall, Rem., Wks. (1660), 2. The greatest bodily sicknesses were but Flea-bites to those Scorpions.
1779. G. Keate, Sketches Nat., I. 64. Killing of time, my dear lady, is a serious business—Every body talks of it as a thing easily effected; but if you will credit what I tell you, all the labours of Hercules were a flea-bite to it; for time is not to be destroyed.
1862. Sala, Seven Sons, I. vii. 169. The money was a mere flea-bite, a miserable fifty.
3. A small reddish spot on a horse or dog, resembling the mark made by the bite of a flea. Cf. FLEA-BITTEN 2.
1681. Lond. Gaz., No. 1608/4. A middle-size White Spaniel Dog … with two reddish Ears full of little Fleabits. Ibid. (1690), No. 2571/4. A dapple-grey Mare … with red Flea-bites about her Head and Neck.
4. attrib.
1605. Breton, Honour of Valour, xiii.
| When Drum, and Fife, and the report of shot, | |
| Makes Musique for the eares of noble hearts, | |
| The thought of feare is vtterly forgot, | |
| When mortal wounds doe shew but flea-bite smarts. |
Hence Flea-bite v. trans. ‘To cover with bites of fleas’ (Hyde Clarke, 1855). Flea-biter, one who bites like a flea; in quot. fig.
1629. Gaule, Holy Madn., 324. Wearish Wretch; so like a Flea-biter hee lookes.
