flea
a flea
a kind of insect – wingless (cannot fly) insect – parasite – very small, grows to 1/10 to ¼ of an inch (2 to 6 mm); lives on the blood of animals and birds; about 2,500 species (kinds) found all over the world
a full-fed flea
Fleas are parasites, i.e. they live on other animals directly. Adult Fleas find their host (= the animal or bird they live on) by smell and attach themselves to the hair of mammals or feathers of birds and make tiny holes and suck blood directly!
Fleas can go without food (blood) for months.
They carry diseases and transmit them from one animal to another. The “bubonic plague” or ‘the black death’ which has killed several hundreds of people is carried by these fleas! They are a very dangerous pest!
Fleas can jump very long distance for their size: they can jump 13 inches long and 7 inches high!!
1.
a flea-bag = a soldier’s sleeping bag
2.
the flea’s eyebrows = the last words in acuteness (?)
flea infested hair (of a dog)
3.
a flea on a dog’s back = a person of little importance in a big office or organisation
4.
(a) as uneasy as a flea in a sock
(b) as fit as a flea
5.
(a) as busy as a bag of fleas
(b) as jumpy as a bag of fleas
6.
close as/like a flea in a blanket = comfortable and well suited
7.
as little as a flea bite
8.
intricate as a flea in the bottom of flax
9.
(a) not care a flea
(b) not worth a flea
10.
(a) not care the lungs of a flea
(b) not worth the lungs of a flea
11.
to sit on a bag of fleas = to sit very uncomfortably
12.
in a flea’s leap = promptly; immediately
13.
to have a flea in the lug = to be restless or giddy (‘lug’ = ear)
14.
he who sleeps with dogs shall rise with fleas [said to imply that bad company or friends bring bad habits]
15.
(a) flea in a ear = an annoying hint or an insulting comment
(b) to send away (someone) with a flea in (his) ear = to scold somebody; to send away somebody with hard words; to defeat somebody in an argument
(c) to get a flea in one’s ear = to be severely scolded (reprimanded)
16.
flea market = a market in an open place where we can buy cheap, old and used things
17.
big fleas have little fleas on their back to bite them, and little fleas have lesser fleas, and so on… (ad infinitem) [a saying by Jonathan Swift, a poet, to mean that one thing leads to another; one thing has a side-effect or a negative point to it, however big that thing may be (?)]
About the Author:BC Kumar
BC Kumar, an English Language Teacher, taught in numerous countries including Ethiopia, Oman and India, shares his knowledge and passion for the English Language. Disclaimer: This is a free educational website and all content has been compiled by the author. All copyrights to images and videos belong to their respective owners.
