Gadfly

Quick meaning: Gadfly is a noun meaning A person or thing that irritates or instigates.

Meaning

A person or thing that irritates or instigates.

More Meanings

1. Synonym of gadabout (“a person who restlessly moves from place to place, seeking amusement or the companionship of others”).
2. A person who takes without giving back; a bloodsucker.
3. Any dipterous (“two-winged”) insect or fly of the family Oestridae (commonly known as a botfly) or Tabanidae (horsefly), noted for irritating animals by buzzing about them, and biting them to suck their blood; a gadbee.

Example Sentences

VVhere are thoſe gad-flies going? to ſome Junket novv; […]

Light fly his ſlumbers, if perchance a flight / Of angry gad-flies faſten on the herd; […]

VVhat VVinnie? VVife, I ſay? out of dores at this time! vvhere ſhould I ſeeke the Gad-flye?

VVhat gad flye tickles ſo this Macrinus, / That vp-flinging thy tayle, he breakes thus from me.

Word Forms

• gadflies

Synonyms for gadfly

Depending on context, synonyms include stout, gadabout, bloodsucker, bludger, bummer, freeloader.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include pest, blighter, cuss, pesterer, redoubtable, breeze.

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