Forms: 1 fléah, fléh, fléa, fléo, 3–5 fle, 3–6 flee, 6 Sc. fla, 8 Sc. flae, dial. fleigh, 9 Sc. flech, dial. fleck, 6– flea. Pl. 1 fléan, 4–6 fleen, 5 flen. [Com. Teut.: OE. fléah str. (prob. masc.), fléa wk. masc. or fem.; corresponding to MDu., MLG. vlô (Du. vloo), OHG. flôh, flôch str. masc. (MHG. vlôch str. masc., pl. flœhe, vlô str. fem., mod.Ger. floh fem.), ON. fló str. fem. (pl. flœr); repr. OTeut. *flauh-, or more probably *plauh- (cons.-stem) cogn. with FLEE v.]
1. A small wingless insect (or genus of insects, Pulex, the common flea being P. irritans), well known for its biting propensities and its agility in leaping; it feeds on the blood of man and of some other animals.
a. 700. Epinal Gloss., 813. Pulix, fleah.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., I. 264. Heo [gorst] cwelð þa flean.
c. 1305. Land Cokayne, 37.
| N’is þer flei, fle, no lowse, | |
| In cloþ, in toune, bed, no house. |
c. 1386. Chaucer, Manciple’s Prol., 17.
| Hast thou had fleen al night or artow dronke? | |
| Or hastow with som quen al night i-swonke, | |
| So that thou maist not holden up thyn heed? |
1547. Boorde, Brev. Health, ccxcix. 98. In Englyshe it is named Flees, the whiche doth byte and stynge men in theyr beddes.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 696. Fleas breed principally of Straw or Mats, where there hath been a little moisture, or the Chamber and Bed-straw kept close, and not aired.
1733. Swift, On Poetry, 353.
| So Nat’ralists observe, a Flea | |
| Hath smaller Fleas, that on him prey, | |
| And these have smaller Fleas to bite ’em, | |
| And so proceed ad infinitum: | |
| Thus ev’ry Poet in his Kind, | |
| Is bit by him that comes behind; | |
| Who, tho’ too little to be seen, | |
| Can teaze, and gall, and give the Spleen. |
1791. Boswell, Johnson (1831), II. 186. The counsel upon the circuit at Shrewsbury were much bitten by fleas.
1858. Hawthorne, Fr. & It. Jrnls., I. 227. Once we spoke of fleas,—insects that, in Rome, come home to everybody’s business and bosom, and are so common and inevitable, that no delicacy is felt about alluding to the sufferings they inflict.
1874. J. G. Wood, Insects Abr., 771. I have selected the best-known foreign Flea, the Chigoe (Pulex penetrans). This insect burrows into the feet of human beings, and, if left undisturbed, forms a globular hollow in which the young are reproduced.
b. As a type of anything small or contemptible.
1388. Wyclif, 1 Sam. xxiv. 15. Thou pursuest a deed hound, and a quyk fle [1382, flyȝe].
c. 1450. Henryson, Mor. Fab., 195.
| For it is said in Prouerb, ‘But lawté | |
| All vther vertewis ar nocht worth ane fle.’ |
1501. Douglas, Pal. Hon., III. 660.
| Lang eir me thocht yow had nouther force nor micht, | |
| Curage nor will for to haue greiuit a fla. |
1857. R. Tomes, Amer. in Japan, v. 126. These Lilliputian bumpers would not have floored a flea.
2. = flea-beetle: see 6 below.
1805. R. W. Dickson, Pract. Agric., II. 760. In the very early stage of the growth of the hop plant, it is liable to be wholly devoured, as it rises above the surface of the ground, by the ravages of the flea.
1842. C. W. Johnson, Farmer’s Encycl., Fly in Turnips (Altica nemorum)…. It is sometimes called the black jack, and sometimes the flea, or black fly.
1860. J. Curtis, Farm Insects, List Engravings. 1—Altica nemorum,—the Turnip fly or flea, 2—Altica concinna—the Hop flea or beetle.
3. Applied, with defining word prefixed, to small crustaceans which leap like a flea: see SAND-FLEA, WATER-FLEA. Beach-flea (U.S.) = sand-flea.
1888. Riverside Nat. Hist., II. 76. The ‘beach-fleas’ so common on the sandy beaches.
4. phr. A flea in one’s ear: said of a stinging or mortifying reproof, rebuff, or repulse, which sends one away discomfited: chiefly in phr. to go (send, etc.) away with a flea in one’s ear. † b. Formerly also = anything that surprises or alarms, matter for disquietude or agitation of spirit: after F. (avoir or mettre) la puce à l’oreille.
c. 1430. Pilgr. Lyf Manhode, II. xxxix. (1869), 91. And manye oothere grete wundres [ye haue seyd] whiche ben fleen in myne eres [F. puces es oreilles].
1577. trans. De L’Isle’s Legendarie, B vj b. Dismissing them and sending them away with fleas in their eares, vtterly disapointed of their purpose.
1577. Dee, Relat. Spir., I. (1659), 423. [He] at length had such his answer, that he is gone to Rome with a flea in his eare, that disquieteth him, & terrifieth the whole State Romish and Jesuitical.
a. 1625. Beaum. & Fl., Love’s Cure, III. iii.
| He went away with a flea in’s ear, | |
| Like a poor cur, clapping his trindle tail | |
| Betwixt his legs. |
1656. B. Harris, trans. Parival’s The History of This Iron Age, I. I. ix. 18. By marriages and Navigations, the House of Austria is both amplified and elevated; which hath maintained her self by arms, given jealousies to the Princes of Europe by her victories, and struck fear and hatred into the soules of the Protestants; who have made Leagues to uphold themselves; and put a flea into the eare of France; which hath abandoned the interests of Religion to make her self great, and check this formidable power.
1712. Arbuthnot, John Bull, III. vi. Upon this there happen’d a Quarrel, but we being stronger than they, sent them away with a Flea in their Ear.
1741. Richardson, Pamela, I. xxii. 56. I was hurrying out with a Flea in my Ear, as the Saying is.
1838. C. K. Sharpe, Corr. (1888), II. 510. Old Sandy Henderson, the Whig preacher who had the impudence to debate with King Charles the First on Church affairs, and came off unvictorious with a flea in his ear.
1887. Rider Haggard, Jess, xiii. I sent him off with a flea in his ear, I can tell you.
5. Comb., as † flea-catcher, -feeder, -skinning; flea-brown, -colored adjs.
1794. G. Adams, Nat. & Exp. Philos., I. 538. The peroxide [of lead] may be precipitated of a brilliant *flea-brown colour.
1806. Spirit Pub. Jrnls. (1807), X. 221. Bug Destroyer to His Majesty, and *Flea Catcher in general.
1776. C. Anstey, Election Ball, Poet. Wks. (1808), 230. Quite a new-fashioned *flea-colour’d coat!
1603. Breton, Wit’s Priv. Wealth (1639), B b. They that loue their beds, are great *flea-feeders, and he that spends his spirits, cannot haue a strong body.
1860. Sala, Lady Chesterf., v. 81. There are many ladies of rank who adopt this nip-cheese, candle-end saving, pebble-peeling, *flea-skinning principle.
6. Special comb.: flea-bag (slang), a bed; flea-beetle, a small leaping beetle of the genus Haltica, the species of which ravage hops, grape-vines, turnips, and other plants; flea-louse, a leaping plant-louse of the family Psyllidæ; flea-lugged (Sc.), unsettled, harebrained (Jam.); flea-powder, a remedy against fleas; † flea-trap, in quot. an opprobrious epithet applied to a person.
1839. Lever, H. Lorrequer, xxxix. Troth, and I think the gentleman would be better if he went off to his *flea-bag himself.
1842. C. W. Johnson, Farmer’s Encycl., Fly in Turnips. (Altica nemorum.) The vulgar name for a species of *flea-beetle, which attacks the turnip crop in the cotyledon, or seed leaf, as soon as it appears.
1724. Ramsay, Tea-t. Misc. (1733), I. 90.
| And there will be Judan Maclawrie, | |
| And blinkin daft Barbara Macleg, | |
| Wi’ *flae-lugged sharny-fac’d Lawrie, | |
| And shangy-mou’d halucket Meg. |
1823. Galt, Entail, III. 70. No a hurly-burly ramstam, like yon flea-luggit thing, Jamie.
1699. Poor Robin, A iv. Since Scoggin found out his *Flea-Powder.
a. 1616. Beaum. & Fl., Bonduca, II. iii. 1. Daughter. Are they not our tormentors? Car. Tormentors? *flea-traps!
1681. Otway, Soldier’s Fort., V. i. Do you long to be ferking of Man’s Flesh, Madam Flea-trap?
b. In various plant-names, as flea-dock, the butter-bur (Petasiles vulgaris); flea-grass, flea-sedge, Carex pulicaris; † flea-seed, Plantago Psyllium; flea-weed, local name for Galium verum; flea-wood (see quot.).
1597. Gerard, Herball, App. *Fleadocke is Petasites.
1847. Halliwell, Flea-dock, the herb butter-burr.
1670. Ray, Catal. Plant. Angl., 148. *Flea-grass. This was so denominated by Mr. Goodyer, because the seeds … do in shape and colour somewhat resemble Fleas.
1820. T. Green, Univ. Herbal, I. 252. Carex Pulicaris; *Flea Sedge, or Flea Grass.
1562. Turner, Herbal, II. 105 b. Psillium … may be well called *fleasede or fleawurt because ye sede is very lyke vnto a fle.
1892. Northumbld. Gloss., *Flea-wood, the bog myrtle or sweet gale, Myrica Gale. A housewife’s cure for fleas.
