from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Flea \Flea\, n. [OE. fle, flee, AS. fle['a], fle['a]h; akin to
D. vtoo, OHG. fl[=o]h, G. floh, Icel. fl[=o], Russ. blocha;
prob. from the root of E. flee. [root]84. See {Flee}.]
(Zool.)
An insect belonging to the genus {Pulex}, of the order
{Aphaniptera}. Fleas are destitute of wings, but have the
power of leaping energetically. The bite is poisonous to most
persons. The human flea ({Pulex irritans}), abundant in
Europe, is rare in America, where the dog flea
({Ctenocephalides canis}, formerly {Pulex canis}) and the
smaller cat flea ({Ctenocephalides felis}) take its place.
See {Aphaniptera}, and {Dog flea}. See Illustration in
Appendix.
[1913 Webster]
{A flea in the ear}, an unwelcome hint or unexpected reply,
annoying like a flea; an irritating repulse; as, to put a
flea in one's ear; to go away with a flea in one's ear.
{Beach flea}, {Black flea}, etc. See under {Beach}, etc.
[1913 Webster]
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Beach \Beach\ (b[=e]ch), n.; pl. {Beaches} (-[e^]z). [Cf. Sw.
backe hill, Dan. bakke, Icel. bakki hill, bank. Cf. {Bank}.]
1. Pebbles, collectively; shingle.
[1913 Webster]
2. The shore of the sea, or of a lake, which is washed by the
waves; especially, a sandy or pebbly shore; the strand.
[1913 Webster]
{Beach flea} (Zool.), the common name of many species of
amphipod Crustacea, of the family {Orchestid[ae]}, living
on the sea beaches, and leaping like fleas.
{Beach grass} (Bot.), a coarse grass ({Ammophila
arundinacea}), growing on the sandy shores of lakes and
seas, which, by its interlaced running rootstocks, binds
the sand together, and resists the encroachment of the
waves.
{Beach wagon}, a light open wagon with two or more seats.
{Raised beach}, an accumulation of water-worn stones, gravel,
sand, and other shore deposits, above the present level of
wave action, whether actually raised by elevation of the
coast, as in Norway, or left by the receding waters, as in
many lake and river regions.
[1913 Webster]