[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/gadfly/)

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# gadfly

noun (gadflies)

«gadfly» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A gadfly is a large fly that bites cattle and horses. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gadfly/#m1)
2. (informal) A gadfly is a person who keeps pestering and stirring others up. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gadfly/#m2)

### In the lessons

in old stories, an insect that stings a horse until it runs wild; in talk, a nagging person

### Examples

- The gadfly stung the cow, and it ran off. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gadfly/#x1)
- A gadfly buzzed round the horse's head. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gadfly/#x2)
- My cousin is a gadfly who never stops teasing. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gadfly/#x3)

### Note

nothing for maths

## In Jewish tradition

Jeremiah uses it for a biting insect from the north, a picture of an enemy army that comes to attack Egypt.

**Interpretation.** The tradition reads the "north" as Babylon, which Jeremiah says will strike down proud Egypt.

### Examples

- Egypt is a very fair heifer; but the gadfly out of the north is come, it is come. (Prophets JER.46.20, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/G/gadfly/#x1)

### Note

nothing for maths

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «gadfly» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gadfly/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«gadfly» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/gadfly.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «gadfly» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/G/gadfly/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«gadfly» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/gadfly.html) on Mova free.