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Vinony

flea

noun

  1. a very small jumping insect that feeds on the blood of animals and humans
L16753 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /ˈfliː/ / [ˈflɪi̯]

noun

Etymology: From Middle English fle, from Old English flēah, flēa, from Proto-West Germanic *flauh, from Proto-Germanic *flauhaz (compare West Frisian flie, Low German Flo, Flö, Dutch vlo, German Floh, Icelandic fló), from pre-Germanic *plóukos, *plówkos, from or akin to Proto-Indo-European *plus- (compare Latin pulex, Sanskrit प्लुषि (plúṣi)). The archaic plural fleen is from Middle English fleen, flen, from Old English flēan (“fleas”).

  1. A small, wingless, parasitic insect of the order Siphonaptera, renowned for its bloodsucking habits and jumping abilities.
  2. A thing of no significance.

    “The nation of beggars on horseback which first colonized California has left behind it many traditions unworthy of conservation, and multitudinous fleas not at all traditional, but even less keepworthy […]”

verb

Etymology: Alternative forms.

  1. Obsolete spelling of flay.

    “[…] he'd flea me alive like another St Bartholomew.”

    “In this Thwackum had the advantage; for while Square could only scarify the poor lad's reputation, he could flea his skin […]”