Definitions for: Gadfly


[n] any of various large flies that annoy livestock
[n] a persistently annoying person



Webster (1913) Definition: Gad"fly`, n.; pl. Gadflies. [Gad + fly.] (Zo["o]l.)
Any dipterous insect of the genus Oestrus, and allied
genera of botflies.

Note: The sheep gadfly (Oestrus ovis) deposits its young in
the nostrils of sheep, and the larv[ae] develop in the
frontal sinuses. The common species which infests
cattle (Hypoderma bovis) deposits its eggs upon or in
the skin where the larv[ae] or bots live and produce
sores called wormels. The gadflies of the horse produce
the intestinal parasites called bots. See Botfly, and
Bots. The true horseflies are often erroneously
called gadflies, and the true gadflies are sometimes
incorrectly called breeze flies.

Gadfly petrel (Zo["o]l.), one of several small petrels of
the genus Oestrelata.

Synonyms: blighter, cuss, pest, pesterer

See Also: botfly, cleg, clegg, fly, horse fly, horsefly, nudnick, nudnik, persecutor, tormenter, tormentor, warble fly

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