Flea

as a parasite.

“Hobbes clearly proves that every creature

Lives in a state of war by nature;

So naturalists observe a flea

Has smaller fleas that on him prey,

And these have smaller still to bite ʹem,

And so proceed ad infinitum.”

Sent off with a flea in his ear. Peremptorily. A dog which has a flea in the ear is very restless, and runs off in terror and distress. In French: Mettre à quelquʹun puce à lʹoreille. Probably our change of word implies a pun.

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Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.