gadflyn.adj.

1569 W. Haywarde tr. A. Guarna Bellum Grammaticale sig. B.viii^v Ebrietie set them in so great ennimities one against another, that eyther of them, pricked forwarde with ambitious desire of regiment (as wilde Buls stong of gadde flies [Fr. gibier]) almost vtterly euer turned their own realmes.

1593 G. Harvey Pierces Supererogation 143 The gad-fly is a little creature; but some little creatures be stingers.

1626 T. Hawkins tr. N. Caussin Holy Court I. 120 It was like..as a bull stung with a Gad-fly [Fr. taon].

1678 J. P. tr. J. Johnstone Descr. Nature Four-footed Beasts ii. i. 25/2 They [sc. cows] love bees, but hate hornets, gad-flees, flees of all sorts,..and some sorts of colours.

1744 J. Thomson Summer in Seasons (new ed.) 75 Light fly his Slumbers, if perchance a Flight Of angry Gad-Flies fasten on the herd.

1831 W. Youatt Horse xi. 201 A species of gad-fly, the œstrus equi, is in the latter part of the summer exceedingly busy about the horse.

1841 R. W. Emerson Hist. in Ess. 1st Ser. i. 18 The nomads of Africa were constrained to wander by the attacks of the gadfly, which drives the cattle mad.

1876 P. J. Van Beneden Animal Parasites & Messmates viii. 175 A gadfly found at Cayenne is distinguished by the name of the Macaco Worm; it..usually attacks the skin of oxen and dogs.

1893 D. Jordan Forest Tithes 197 In gadfly time it was a fine sight to see a herd of cattle charging along.

1920 P. J. Fryer Insect Pests & Fungus Dis. Fruit & Hops xv. 234 Brachycera. Horse flies and Gadflies are in this group.

1954 F. C. Lane All about Insect World 124 And there are larger gadflies. In the tropics one species leaves a stream of blood where he bites.

2001 J. Waterman Arctic Crossing iii. 245 Unlike the southern species of warble or gadflies (Hypoderma bovis or lineatum are hosted in cows), the caribou warble can fly continuously for thirty hours.

1605 G. Chapman et al. Eastward Hoe iii. sig. F2 Wife, I say? out of dores at this time! where should I seeke the Gad-flye?

a1627 W. Rowley & T. Middleton Wit at Severall Weapons iv. ii, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. Llllll3/2 Where are those gad-flies going? to some Junket now.

1753 S. Richardson Hist. Sir Charles Grandison I. xviii. 125 Your Harriet may turn gad-fly, and never be easy but when she is forming parties.

1916 Freeman's Jrnl. (Sydney) 6 July 13/3 When a girl leaves school..she very often develops into a gadabout... What chance has she of being instructed in the principles of home-making?.. ‘Oh, I never sew my husband's buttons on,’ said a young gadfly.

1991 Newport Summer 28/3 Social gadfly and expert party organizer Harry Lehr.

2016 Oxf. Times (Nexis) 11 Feb. Reay is a gadfly who flits between beaches, galleries and bars.

1622 T. Dekker & P. Massinger Virgin Martir ii. sig. D4 What gad flye tickles so this Macrinus, That vp. flinging thy tayle, he breakes thus from me.

1641 J. Taylor Reply as true as Steell 6 But wherefore (like a Mountebank) doe I Spend time and Ink upon such rascall frye As is this gad-flye.

1732 H. Baker & J. Miller tr. Molière Cit turn'd Gentleman iii. viii. 115 in Sel. Comedies II Hey, hey! What Gad-fly has stung 'em both?

1761 A. Murphy Examiner 11 Still fond in letter'd warfare to engage, Some gad-fly bites, and stings him to a rage.

1807 Salmagundi 14 Aug. 279 It is our misfortune to be frequently pestered..by certain critical gad-flies.

1880 F. J. Church tr. Plato Trial & Death Socrates 52 I am the gadfly that the God has sent upon the city: for I never cease settling on you..and rousing, and exhorting, and reproaching each man of you all day long.

1948 B. Griffith Amer. Me i. iii. 77 It is not surprising to find alcohol and marihuana used..as an escape from the gadflies of anxiety and insecurity.

1975 Times Lit. Suppl. 28 Mar. 329/1 The wise and tetchy old gadfly whose weekly journal continues to provoke the establishment.

2016 Pittsburgh (Pa.) Post-Gaz. (Nexis) 11 Feb. w16 A liberal gadfly known for skewering corporate America and conservative politicians.

1799 C. Cooke Battleridge II. 202 This humble villein maid, by a certain innate dignity, kept each of those daring and powerful suitors at an equal distance with the merest gad-fly courtier.

1865 J. H. Friswell Splendid Fortune I. ix. 109 These foolish, light, gadfly women, in their scarlet dress.

1895 Washington Post 9 May 6/1 He could lose the people's confidence..by neglecting his official obligations in an effort to satisfy the gadfly newspapers.

1967 L. Thomas Delmonico's v. 311 One gadfly critic, the stridulous Dr. Parkhurst, from whose pulpit on Madison Square emanated a continuous clamor against real and supposed municipal wrongdoing.

1973 Times 18 Jan. 30/6 Gadfly girls who seem to think PR is all gin and giggles.

2011 Canberra Times (Nexis) 29 Sept. a17 As for gadfly journalists, Putin wagered that they could be eliminated with impunity.

1846 C. G. Prowett tr. Æschylus Prometheus Bound 28 The gadfly-haunted maid [Gk. τῆς οἰστροδινήτου κόρης], whose charms have power To smite Jove's heart with love.

1974 Drama Autumn 59/1 He whinnied and falsettoed like a gadfly-haunted colt.