FLAY
Flay, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Flayed; p. pr. & vb. n. Flaying.] Etym:
[OE. flean, flan, AS. fleán; akin to D. vlaen, Icel. fla, Sw. flå,
Dan. flaae, cf. Lith. ples to tear, plyszti, v.i., to burst tear;
perh. akin to E. flag to flat stone, flaw.]
Defn: To skin; to strip off the skin or surface of; as, to flay an ox; to flay the green earth. With her nails She 'll flay thy wolfish visage. Shak.
FLAYER
Flay"er, n.
Defn: One who strips off the skin.
FLEA
Flea, v. t. Etym: [See Flay.]
Defn: To flay. [Obs.]
He will be fleaced first And horse collars made of's skin. J.
Fletcher.
FLEA
Flea, n. Etym: [OE. fle, flee, AS. fleá, fleáh; akin to D. fl, G.
floh, Icel. fl, Russ. blocha; prob. from the root of E. flee. Flee.]
(Zoöl.)
Defn: 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 (P. canis) takes its place. See Aphaniptera, and Dog flea. See Illustration in Appendix. 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.
FLEABANE
Flea"bane`, n. (Bot.)
Defn: One of various plants, supposed to have efficacy in driving away fleas. They belong, for the most part, to the genera Conyza, Erigeron, and Pulicaria.