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# gnat

noun (a gnat, gnats)

«gnat» 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

A gnat is a tiny flying insect, a bit like a very small fly, often seen in clouds near water; some kinds bite. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gnat/#m1)

### In the lessons

In science lessons gnats are insects with six legs and two wings; many are food for birds, bats and fish. In everyday life gnats buzz around faces on summer evenings. In stories, something annoying but small may be compared to a gnat. Phrases: a cloud of gnats, «strain at a gnat» (Bible: fuss over tiny things).

### Examples

- A cloud of gnats hovered over the pond. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gnat/#x1)
- I got bitten by gnats on the camping trip. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gnat/#x2)
- Swallows swoop to catch gnats in the air. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gnat/#x3)
- The gnat was so small it got through the window net. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gnat/#x4)
- In the Bible, Jesus speaks of people who strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gnat/#x5)
- The little gnat kept buzzing round my ear. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gnat/#x6)
- The gnats and flies grew blithe and merry. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gnat/#x7)

### Note

The «g» is silent: say «nat». Countable. In the US, «gnat» covers many small flies; in the UK, «midge» is often used for biting ones.

## In Jewish tradition

Gnats were the third plague on Egypt, and tiny insects came from the dust of the earth.

**Interpretation.** The magicians could not copy this plague. Tradition says they then admitted it was "the finger of God", since their secret arts could not make anything smaller than a barley grain.

### Examples

- And the magicians did so with their secret arts to bring forth gnats, but they could not; and there were gnats upon man, and upon beast. (Torah EXO.8.18, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/G/gnat/#x1)
- And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Say unto Aaron: Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the earth, that it may become gnats throughout all the land of Egypt.' (Torah EXO.8.16, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/G/gnat/#x2)
- He spoke, and there came swarms of flies, and gnats in all their borders. (Writings PSA.105.31, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/G/gnat/#x3)

### Note

The «g» is silent: say «nat». Countable. In the US, «gnat» covers many small flies; in the UK, «midge» is often used for biting ones.

## On Mova

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