Part 192

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Flay"er (?), n. One who strips off the skin.

Flea (fl), v. t. [See Flay.] To flay. [Obs.]

He will be fleaed first And horse collars made of's skin.

J. Fletcher.

Flea, n. [OE. fle, flee, AS. fle·, fle·h; akin to D. vtoo, OHG. flh, G. floh, Icel. fl, Russ. blocha; prob. from the root of E. flee. &radic;84. See Flee.] (Zoˆl.) 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 (P. canis) takes its place. See Aphaniptera, and Dog flea. See Illustration in Appendix.

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.

Flea"bane` (?), n. (Bot.) One of various plants, supposed to have efficacy in driving away fleas. They belong, for the most part, to the genera Conyza, Erigeron, and Pulicaria.

Flea"-bee`tle (?), n. (Zoˆl.) A small beetle of the family HalticidÊ, of many species. They have strong posterior legs and leap like fleas. The turnip flea-beetle (Phyllotreta vittata) and that of the grapevine (Graptodera chalybea) are common injurious species.

Flea"-bite` (?), n. 1. The bite of a flea, or the red spot caused by the bite.

2. A trifling wound or pain, like that of the bite of a flea. Harvey.

Flea"-bit`ten (?), a. 1. Bitten by a flea; as, a flea-bitten face.

2. White, flecked with minute dots of bay or sorrel; -- said of the color of a horse.

Fleagh (fl), obs. imp. of Fly.

Fleak (flk), n. A flake; a thread or twist. [Obs.]

Little long fleaks or threads of hemp.

Dr. H. More.

Fleak"ing, n. A light covering of reeds, over which the main covering is laid, in thatching houses. [Prov. Eng.] Wright.

Flea"-louse` (?), n. (Zoˆl.) A jumping plant louse of the family PsyllidÊ, of many species. That of the pear tree is Psylla pyri.

Fleam (?), n. [F. flamme, OF. flieme, fr. LL. flevotomum, phlebotomum; cf. D. vlijm. See Phlebotomy.] (Surg. & Far.) A sharp instrument used for opening veins, lancing gums, etc.; a kind of lancet.

Fleam tooth, a tooth of a saw shaped like an isosceles triangle; a peg tooth. Knight.

Fleam"y (?), a. Bloody; clotted. [Obs. or Prov.]

Foamy bubbling of a fleamy brain.

Marston.

Flear (?), v. t. & i. See Fleer.

Flea"wort` (?), n. (Bot.) An herb used in medicine (Plantago Psyllium), named from the shape of its seeds. Loudon.

||FlËche (?), n. [F. flËche, prop., an arrow.] (Fort.) A simple ||fieldwork, consisting of two faces forming a salient angle pointing ||outward and open at the gorge.

Fleck (flk), n. A flake; also, a lock, as of wool. [Obs.] J. Martin.