gadfly

Tanımlar (İngilizce)

1. isim Any dipterous (“two-winged”) insect or fly of the family Oestridae (commonly known as a botfly) or Tabanidae (horsefly), noted for irritating animals by buzzing about them, and biting them to suck their blood; a gadbee.

   “He that made that ryme in jeſt, little conſidered what a gad-fly may doe in earneſt. It is ſmall wiſedome to contemne the ſmalleſt enemy; the gad-fly is a little creature, but ſome little creatures be ſtingers; […]”

2. isim A person or thing that irritates or instigates.

   “VVhat gad flye tickles ſo this Macrinus, / That vp-flinging thy tayle, he breakes thus from me.”

3. isim A person who upsets the status quo by posing novel or upsetting questions, or attempts to stimulate innovation by being an irritant.

   “There is a function for the gadfly who poses questions that many specialists would like to overlook. Polemics is healthy.”

4. isim Synonym of gadabout (“a person who restlessly moves from place to place, seeking amusement or the companionship of others”).

   “VVhat VVinnie? VVife, I ſay? out of dores at this time! vvhere ſhould I ſeeke the Gad-flye?”

5. isim A person who takes without giving back; a bloodsucker.

   “He’s a regular gadfly and takes advantage of his friend’s generosity.”