gnatn.1
/nat/, U.S. /næt/ 1. figurative.1671 A. Woodhead tr. Life St. Teresa i. xviii. 115 This importunate little Gnat of the Memory hath her wings burnt here.
a. A small two-winged fly of the genus Culex, esp. Culex pipiens, the female of which has a sharp pointed proboscis, by means of which it punctures the skins of animals and sucks their blood. In the United States: the common mosquito, Culex mosquito.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > order Diptera or flies > [noun] > suborder Nematocera > family Culicidae > genus Culex or tribe Culicini > member of
gnatc893
stoutc1000
culex1483
nit1547
culicine1911
c893 tr. Orosius Hist. i. vii. §1 Þæt gnættas comon ofer eall þæt land.
c1000 Sax. Leechd. I. 267 Ðeos wyrt [fleabane] gnættas & micgeas & flean acwelleþ.
a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 2988 Gnattes..Smale to sen and sarp on bite.
c1350 Parl. Three Ages 50 Gnattes gretely me greuede and gnewen myn eghne.
1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomew de Glanville De Proprietatibus Rerum (1495) xii. xiii. 422 A gnatte is a lytill flye and highte Culex.
1471 J. Paston in Paston Lett. & Papers (2004) I. 567 I wold fayne my gray horse wer kept in mew for gnattys.
a1535 T. More Dialoge of Comfort (1553) iii. xii. sig. P.v Lawes..like vnto cobbewebbes, in whych the litle gnattes [1557 Knattes], & flies stycke styl & hang fast.
1562 W. Turner 2nd Pt. Herball f. 169 Ye same moysture [of the Elm Tree] after yt is dried vp, is resolued into litle flies like Ganattes.
1599 W. Shakespeare Romeo & Juliet i. iv. 65 Her waggoner, a small gray-coated Gnat . View more context for this quotation
a1617 S. Hieron Penance for Sinne in Wks. (1620) II. 75 Let not our sermons be as the spiders web, thorow which doe breake the greater flies, while onely the lesser gnats are taken.
1789 H. L. Piozzi Observ. Journey France I. 278 One is bit to death by animals, gnats in particular.
1815 W. Kirby & W. Spence Introd. Entomol. I. iv. 115 There are several species..whose bite is severe, but none is to be compared to the common gnat (Culex pipiens L.).
c1850 Arabian Nights (Rtldg.) 363 He perceived two persons sleeping..their heads covered with linen to protect them from the gnats.
b. Used as a type of something insignificant; frequently in allusion to Matthew 23: 24. Cf. camel n. 1c.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > importance > unimportance > [noun] > that which is unimportant > of little importance or trivial
gnatc1000
ball play?c1225
smalla1250
triflec1290
fly1297
child's gamec1380
motec1390
mitec1400
child's playc1405
trufferyc1429
toyc1450
curiosity1474
fly-winga1500
neither mass nor matins1528
boys' play1538
nugament1543
knack?1544
fable1552
nincety-fincety1566
mouse1584
molehill1590
coot1594
scoff1594
nidgery1611
pin matter1611
triviality1611
minuity1612
feathera1616
fillip1621
rattle1622
fiddlesticka1625
apex1625
rush candle1628
punctilio1631
rushlight1635
notchet1637
peppercorn1638
petty John1640
emptiness1646
fool-fangle1647
nonny-no1652
crepundian1655
fly-biting1659
pushpin1660
whinny-whanny1673
whiffle1680
straw1692
two and a plack1692
fiddle1695
trivial1715
barley-strawa1721
nothingism1742
curse1763
nihility1765
minutia1782
bee's knee1797
minutiae1797
niff-naff1808
playwork1824
floccinaucity1829
trivialism1830
chicken feed1834
nonsensical1842
meemaw1862
infinitesimality1867
pinfall1868
fidfad1875
flummadiddle1882
quantité négligeable1885
quotidian1902
pipsqueak1905
hickey1909
piddle1910
cream puff1920
squat1934
administrivia1937
chickenshit1938
cream puff1938
diddly-squat1963
non-issue1965
Tinkertoy1972
c1000 West Saxon Gospels: Matt. (Corpus Cambr.) xxiii. 24 La blindan latteowas ge drehnigeað þone gnætt [c1160 Hatton Gosp. gnet] aweg & drincað þone olfynd.
?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 10 Ach monie siȝeð þe gnette & swoleȝeð þe fleȝe. þet is makeð strengðe muche þer as is þe leaste.
c1386 G. Chaucer Manciple's Tale 151 Noght worth to thee, in comparison, The mountance of a gnat.
a1529 J. Skelton Magnyfycence (?1530) sig. Eiiii But and I were as ye I wolde not set a gnat By magnyfycence.
1535 Bible (Coverdale) Matt. xxiii. 24 O ye blynde gydes, which strayne out [1611 straine at] a gnat, but swalowe vp a Camell.
1550 J. Heywood Hundred Epigrammes xxx. sig. Biii Thou neuer durst abide to fight with a gnat.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Cymbeline (1623) i. iii. 21 Till the diminution Of space, had pointed him sharpe as my Needle: Nay..till he had melted from The smalnesse of a Gnat, to ayre. View more context for this quotation
1692 R. Bentley Boyle Lect. iii. 13 To discern the smallest Hair upon the leg of a Gnat.
1889 Spectator 14 Dec. 842 We find it a little amusing that he..should so summarily avenge himself upon the little gnat of a writer who has punctured his own cuticle.
2. Applied to other insects resembling this; (U.S.) a small stinging fly of the genus Simulium.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > order Diptera or flies > [noun] > suborder Nematocera > family Culicidae > member of (gnat or mosquito)
mosquito1572
moustique1666
mosquito fly1750
gnat1787
mosquito gnat1828
skeeter1839
vampire1864
culicid1907
mozzie1916
the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > order Diptera or flies > [noun] > suborder Nematocera > family Simuliidae > member of genus Simulium
blackfly1776
gnat1787
buffalo gnat1822
buffalo fly1849
kabouri1899
turkey-gnat1899
simulium1902
1787 T. Best Conc. Treat. Angling (ed. 2) 99 The Little black Gnat.
1787 T. Best Conc. Treat. Angling (ed. 2) 116 The Blue-Gnat.
1799 tr. Laboratory (ed. 6) II. x. 290 The white-gnat. This is composed of a black head, and a pale wing.
1867 F. Francis Bk. Angling vi. 186 The Black Gnat..has been called ‘the fisherman's curse’.
Compounds
gnat-catcher n. an American bird of the genus Polioptila, esp. P. cærulea.
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the world > animals > birds > order Passeriformes (singing) > family Muscicapidae (thrushes, etc.) > subfamily Sylviidae (warbler) > [noun] > miscellaneous types of
tailor-bird1769
rubythroat1783
bush-goat1865
Cetti's warbler1875
tree-warbler1881
gnat-catcher1883
crombec1901
wren-warbler1924
1883 Cent. Mag. Sept. 685/1 The nest of..the little gray gnat-catcher.
gnat-flower n. a name for Ophrys apifera.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular cultivated or ornamental plants > particular flower or plant esteemed for flower > [noun] > orchids
satyrionOE
bollockwort?a1300
sanicle14..
bollock?a1425
martagon1548
orchis1559
dogstones1562
hare's-ballocks1562
stone1562
bollock grass1578
dog's cods1578
dog's cullions1578
double-leaf1578
fly-orchis1578
goat's cullions1578
goat's orchis1578
priest's pintle1578
twayblade1578
bee-orchis1597
bifoil1597
bird's nest1597
bird's orchis1597
butterfly orchis1597
fenny-stones1597
gelded satyrion1597
gnat satyrion1597
humble-bee orchis1597
lady's slipper1597
sweet ballocks1597
two-blade1605
cullions1611
bee-flower1626
fly-flower1640
man orchis1670
musk orchis1670
moccasin flower1680
gnat-flower1688
faham tea1728
Ophrys1754
green man orchis1762
Arethusa1764
honey flower1771
cypripedium1775
rattlesnake plantain1778
Venus's slipper1785
Adam and Eve1789
lizard orchis179.
epidendrum1791
Pogonia?1801
Vanda1801
cymbidium1815
Oncidium1822
putty-root1822
Noah's Ark1826
yellow moccasin1826
gongora1827
cattleya1828
green man1828
nervine1828
stanhopea1829
dove-flower1831
catasetum1836
Odontoglossum1836
Miltonia1837
letter plant1838
spread eagle1838
letter-leaf1839
swan-plant1841
orchid1843
disa1844
masdevallia1845
Phalaenopsis1846
faham1850
Indian crocus1850
moccasin plant1850
pleione1851
dove orchis1852
nerve root1854
Holy Ghost flower1862
basket-plant1865
lizard's tongue1866
mousetail1866
Sobralia1866
swan-neck1866
swanwort1866
Indian shoe1876
odontoglot1879
wreathewort1879
moth orchid1880
rattlesnake orchid1881
dendrobe1882
dove-plant1882
Madeira orchis1882
man orchis1882
swan-flower1884
slipper-orchid1885
slipper orchis1889
mayflower1894
scorpion orchid1897
moederkappie1910
dove orchid1918
monkey orchid1925
man orchid1927
1688 R. Holme Acad. Armory ii. 109/1 The Gnat Flower, that is yellow and brown.
1755 S. Johnson Dict. Eng. Lang. Gnat-flower, a flower otherwise called the beeflower.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > birds > unspecified and miscellaneous birds > [noun] > unspecified
tidifec1385
tymor?a1400
holste14..
popard1411
popera1450
wercocka1475
tytyferc1565
caladrie1567
butwin1570
brandlet1576
pecteale1579
stockard1579
tanterueale1579
pyralis1580
twite1582
gnat-snapper1598
herodian1609
grindle1610
skirwingle1610
spawe1610
tydie1612
fillady1620
wake1623
gnat-gnapper1627
blackbird1678
ricebird1704
long tongue1731
angle-taster1744
stearing1769
weaver-oriole1782
weaver-bunting1783
sedge-wren1802
satin grackle1822
Audubon1837
nankeen bird1837
fife-bird1854
jug1881
upholsterer1890
1627 G. Hakewill Apologie iv. vii. 364 In the morning fasting, he dispatched..an hundred gnat-gnappers [L. ficedulas] & forty oysters. [Margin] A bird like a nightingall, feeding on figges.
gnat-hawk n. (a provincial name for) the Nightjar.
ΚΠ
1885 C. Swainson Provinc. Names Brit. Birds 97 Nightjar (Caprimulgus europæus)..From its fondness for moths and beetles it has also the names of..Moth hawk (Forfar). Gnat hawk (Hants).
1885 [see ]. gnat-net n. a net to protect one from the attacks of gnats.
ΘΚΠ
society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > furniture and fittings > covers or hangings > [noun] > hangings > curtain > net or lace curtain > for specific purpose
fly-neta1000
gnat-net1658
mosquito net1745
mosquito bar1804
mosquito wire1949
1658 Sir T. Browne Garden of Cyrus ii, in Hydriotaphia: Urne-buriall 109 The ancient Conopeion or gnatnet, of the Ægyptians.
gnat satyrion n. (perhaps) = gnat-flower n.
ΚΠ
1597 J. Gerard Herball i. 163 Gnat Satirion... The stalke groweth to the height of an hand, whereon are placed verie orderly small flowers like in shape to Gnats and of the same colour.
gnat-sin n. a trivial sin (in reference to Matthew 23: 24).Apparently an isolated use.
ΚΠ
1647 T. Fuller Cause Wounded Conscience xv. 115 That those should be choaked with a gnat-sinne, who have swallowed many Camel-sinnes.
gnat-snap n. a name given to various small birds; in the 17th cent. used to translate Latin ficedula; see also gnat n.2; also figurative, as a term of contempt.
ΚΠ
1605 J. Sylvester tr. G. de S. Du Bartas Deuine Weekes & Wks. i. v. 177 The little Gnat-snap, worthy Princes Boords.
1610 W. Folkingham Feudigraphia iv. iii. 83 The Godwit, Gnat-snap, Knot.
gnat-snapper n. = gnat-snap n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > birds > unspecified and miscellaneous birds > [noun] > unspecified
tidifec1385
tymor?a1400
holste14..
popard1411
popera1450
wercocka1475
tytyferc1565
caladrie1567
butwin1570
brandlet1576
pecteale1579
stockard1579
tanterueale1579
pyralis1580
twite1582
gnat-snapper1598
herodian1609
grindle1610
skirwingle1610
spawe1610
tydie1612
fillady1620
wake1623
gnat-gnapper1627
blackbird1678
ricebird1704
long tongue1731
angle-taster1744
stearing1769
weaver-oriole1782
weaver-bunting1783
sedge-wren1802
satin grackle1822
Audubon1837
nankeen bird1837
fife-bird1854
jug1881
upholsterer1890
1598 J. Florio Worlde of Wordes Culobianco, a birde called a gnat~snapper.
1633 J. Hart Κλινικη i. xxiii. 104 [He] had them [Parrats]..served in at table as though they had beene but ordinary Gnat-snappers.
1653 T. Urquhart tr. F. Rabelais 1st Bk. Wks. xxv. 116 Calling them..grouthead gnat-snappers.
1731 G. Medley tr. P. Kolb Present State Cape Good-Hope II. 154 Gnat-snappers, which are much seen at the Cape (where they are likewise call'd Honey- or Bee-Eaters) some reckon a sort of Tit~mouses.
gnat's piss n. (also gnats' piss) slang a very weak beverage; a drink of poor quality.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > types or qualities of beverage > [noun] > watery drink
swish-swasha1549
lap1567
wish-wash1786
slosh1819
slumgullion1872
gnat's piss1959
1959 I. Opie & P. Opie Lore & Lang. Schoolchildren ix. 164 Weak tea may be ‘gnat's piss’.
1963 B. S. Johnson Travelling People v. 110 Where'd you get this gnatspiss from, Maurie?.. I can get you gnatspiss as good as this gnatspiss for sixteen bob a bottle.
1966 ‘L. Lane’ ABZ of Scouse 41 Gnats' piss, cider, near beer, weak tea or any drink.
gnat-strainer n. (see quot.; after Matthew 23: 24).
ΚΠ
1846 J. E. Worcester Universal Dict. Eng. Lang. Gnat-strainer, one who places too much importance on little things.
gnat-straining n.
ΚΠ
1858 C. Dickens Let. 13 Dec. (1995) VIII. 719 Whereof comes all manner of camel-swallowing and of gnat-straining.
gnat-worm n. the larva of a gnat.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > order Diptera or flies > [noun] > suborder Nematocera > family Culicidae > genus Culex or tribe Culicini > member of > larva
gnat-worm1806
wiggletail1855
1658 Sir T. Browne Garden of Cyrus iii, in Hydriotaphia: Urne-buriall 160 He that would behold a very anomalous motion, may observe it in the Tortile and tiring stroaks of Gnatworms.
1806 P. Wakefield Domest. Recreat. x. 150 Before the gnat-worms have attained their full growth.
Derivatives
gnatless adj.
ΚΠ
1892 W. H. Hudson Naturalist in La Plata 136 These peaceful gnatless days.
gnat-like adj. and adv.
ΚΠ
1905 Westm. Gaz. 1 Feb. 2/3 Drifts gnat-like to the flame.
1915 E. R. Lankester Diversions of Naturalist 216 In early September, golf links..swarm with a large gnat-like fly of reddish-brown body.
1920 Glasgow Herald 2 June 10 Those gnat-like journalistic attacks.
1950 W. de la Mare Inward Compan. 37 A gnatlike wail.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1900; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
gnatn.2
/nat/, U.S. /næt/ Obsolete exc. dialect.
A kind of Sandpiper ( Tringa canutus); see also quot. 1864.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > birds > order Charadriiformes > family Scolopacidae (snipes, etc.) > [noun] > genus Calidris > calidris canutus (knot)
knot1452
gnat1616
marl1699
sea-snipe1767
greyback1813
red-breasted sandpiper1813
grey plover1885
1616 B. Jonson Epigrammes ci, in Wks. I. 799 Partrich, pheasant, wood-cock..godwit..Knat, raile, and ruffe too.
1672 T. Shadwell Miser iii. 46 Goldingham. Peace, Sirrah, and tell me what we must have [sc. for supper]..James. Partridges, Gnats, Godwits.
a1682 Sir T. Browne Norfolk Birds in Wks. (1835) IV. 319 Gnats or knots, a small bird, which, taken with nets, grow excessively fat, being mewed and fed with corn.
1864 J. C. Atkinson List Provinc. Names Birds Gnat or Knat, prov. name (Kent) for Lesser Tern. Sterna minuta.
1885 C. Swainson Provinc. Names Brit. Birds 194 Knot (Tringa canutus). So called, according to Camden, in honour of King Canute..Whence also Gnat; Knat; Knet..Gnat snap.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1900; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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