Maggot
maggot
the common name given to the larval stage/phase in the life cycle of some insects, mostly the ‘flies’, – small soft body, grows up to ¼–¾ of an inch, the pointed end on one side with mouth parts and the blunt end on the opposite side with breathing organs; mostly found wriggling in and gobbling the flesh (meat) of dead or live animals
Special Features:
Maggots are the worst pest – not only disgusting to look at but also very harmful!
Some insects lay eggs on the sores or wounds and some others on the soft wet parts of the living animals, including humans. These eggs hatch into maggots which feed on the dead and live cells of the flesh, which causes a disease called ‘myiasis’.
Even when they are on the flesh of a dead animals, they are harmful because, once they finish the maggot (larval) stage, they change into the pupa stage and then into the adult form, and then the next generation of hordes of eggs and larvae goes on and on …
On the contrary, maggots are very useful in the medical field. For centuries maggots have been used to clean the wounds and sores by eating the dead tissues!
This method of cleaning wounds is called ‘maggot therapy’ and is becoming popular not only in under-developed countries but also in developed countries in Europe and America!!
Figures of Speech:
1.
maggot (noun) =
(a) a little person; a person with a small physic
(b) an irritable, short-tempered person
(c) a Slipknot fan (‘slipknot’ = an American music band)
2.
maggoty = (of someone) irritable and short-tempered
3.
maggoty-headed [said of an unusual person full of strange ideas]
4.
tar and maggots = a king of food item – rice pudding with treacle (‘treacle’ = a thick dark syrup obtained during the making of sugar)
5.
(a) as dead/mad/mute as a maggot
(b) as lively/peart as a maggot (‘peart’ = active, smart, lively)
(c) as fat/fierce as a maggot
6.
as fierce as a maggot with its tail cut off [said of someone helplessly furious]
7.
to go maggoty = (of someone) to lose temper
8.
the smell so bad it would make a maggot gag (‘gag’ = on the point of vomiting)
9.
enough to gag a maggot = (of something) extremely nasty and/or disgusting
10.
when the maggot bites [said when someone is taken over by the sudden and unreasonable idea or wish]
Mr. Kumar, an English language teacher, having taught in many countries around the world including Ethiopia and Oman shares this English Language Reference website using material that he has written and compiled during the past 20 years.
2 Responses to “Maggot”
[...] Back to List M —- Next … maggot [...]
[...] ~ macaw ~ mackerel ~ maggot ~ magpie ~ malleefowl ~ mamba ~ mammal ~ mammoth ~ mandrill ~ maned wolf ~ mantis ~ marabou [...]