† flea-bitingn.
Obsolete.
1. The biting of a flea; the spot caused by this.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > blemish > [noun] > spot or mark
spotOE
markOE
tachea1400
macula?a1425
ruby1542
plotch1548
flea-biting1552
fleck1598
blanch1608
staina1616
naeve1619
neve1624
dark1637
sunspot1651
pip1676
liver spot1684
beauty spot1795
heat-spot1822
spilus1822
ink-spot1839
punctation1848
punctuation1848
macule1864
soldier's spots1874
pock1894
mouche1959
1552 R. Huloet Abcedarium Anglico Latinum Fleabitinge, pulicina signa.
1589 M. Philips in R. Hakluyt Princ. Navigations iii. 568 They..leaue behinde them a redde spotte somewhat bigger then a fleabiting.
1676 R. Wiseman Lues Ven. in Severall Chirurg. Treat. i. 5 The attendance of a Cancre is commonly a breaking out all over the body, like a fleabiting.
2. figurative. A small hurt, damage, etc.; = flea-bite n. 2.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > mental anguish or torment > [noun] > minor
flea-biting1553
flea-bite1577
the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > disadvantage > [noun] > a disadvantage > minor
flea-biting1553
flea-bite1577
the mind > attention and judgement > importance > unimportance > [noun] > that which is unimportant > of little importance or trivial > types of
venialc1380
nutshalea1393
nutshella1400
flea-biting1553
flea-bite1577
nothing1577
epitomea1593
quilicoma1644
ephemera1751
pinprick1853
bibelot1873
piffle1884
peanut1910
popcorn1964
trivia1968
factoid1982
1553 T. Wilson Arte of Rhetorique 69 b Al these are but fle bitynges in respect and comparison of that which I shal now show you.
1593 T. Nashe Christs Teares 86 b If wee..make a sport and flea-byting of his fearefull visitation.
1621 R. Burton Anat. Melancholy i. i. i. v. 18 That which is but as a flea-biting to one, causeth vnsufferable torment to another.
1711 R. Cooper Country-man's Proposal (1712) 13 I will shew you that would be but a Flea-biting to the Nation.
3. = flea-bite n. 3.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > injury > [noun] > wound > stings or bites
stingc900
stinging1398
biting1527
flea-bite1570
flea-biting1598
bite1736
bug bite1739
snip1767
stangc1800
myiasis1839
snake-bite1839
tooth-wound1899
the world > animals > mammals > group Unguiculata or clawed mammal > family Canidae > dog > [noun] > defined by colour > markings
flea-biting1598
flea-bite1681
tick spot1704
point1873
the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > family Equidae (general equines) > colour or marking > [noun] > mark or streak > reddish spot
flea-biting1598
meanela1637
flea-bite1681
1598 J. Florio Worlde of Wordes Liardo, a horse marked with red or tannie spots or fleabitings.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1896; most recently modified version published online September 2021).
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n.1552