Midge

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Sand \Sand\, n. [AS. sand; akin to D. zand, G. sand, OHG. sant,
     Icel. sandr, Dan. & Sw. sand, Gr. ?.]
     1. Fine particles of stone, esp. of siliceous stone, but not
        reduced to dust; comminuted stone in the form of loose
        grains, which are not coherent when wet.
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              That finer matter, called sand, is no other than
              very small pebbles.                   --Woodward.
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     2. A single particle of such stone. [R.] --Shak.
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     3. The sand in the hourglass; hence, a moment or interval of
        time; the term or extent of one's life.
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              The sands are numbered that make up my life. --Shak.
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     4. pl. Tracts of land consisting of sand, like the deserts of
        Arabia and Africa; also, extensive tracts of sand exposed
        by the ebb of the tide. "The Libyan sands." --Milton. "The
        sands o' Dee." --C. Kingsley.
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     5. Courage; pluck; grit. [Slang]
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     {Sand badger} (Zool.), the Japanese badger ({Meles ankuma}).
        
  
     {Sand bag}.
        (a) A bag filled with sand or earth, used for various
            purposes, as in fortification, for ballast, etc.
        (b) A long bag filled with sand, used as a club by
            assassins.
  
     {Sand ball}, soap mixed with sand, made into a ball for use
        at the toilet.
  
     {Sand bath}.
        (a) (Chem.) A vessel of hot sand in a laboratory, in which
            vessels that are to be heated are partially immersed.
        (b) A bath in which the body is immersed in hot sand.
  
     {Sand bed}, a thick layer of sand, whether deposited
        naturally or artificially; specifically, a thick layer of
        sand into which molten metal is run in casting, or from a
        reducing furnace.
  
     {Sand birds} (Zool.), a collective name for numerous species
        of limicoline birds, such as the sandpipers, plovers,
        tattlers, and many others; -- called also {shore birds}.
        
  
     {Sand blast}, a process of engraving and cutting glass and
        other hard substances by driving sand against them by a
        steam jet or otherwise; also, the apparatus used in the
        process.
  
     {Sand box}.
        (a) A box with a perforated top or cover, for sprinkling
            paper with sand.
        (b) A box carried on locomotives, from which sand runs on
            the rails in front of the driving wheel, to prevent
            slipping.
  
     {Sand-box tree} (Bot.), a tropical American tree ({Hura
        crepitans}). Its fruit is a depressed many-celled woody
        capsule which, when completely dry, bursts with a loud
        report and scatters the seeds. See Illust. of {Regma}.
  
     {Sand bug} (Zool.), an American anomuran crustacean ({Hippa
        talpoidea}) which burrows in sandy seabeaches. It is often
        used as bait by fishermen. See Illust. under {Anomura}.
  
     {Sand canal} (Zool.), a tubular vessel having a calcareous
        coating, and connecting the oral ambulacral ring with the
        madreporic tubercle. It appears to be excretory in
        function.
  
     {Sand cock} (Zool.), the redshank. [Prov. Eng.]
  
     {Sand collar}. (Zool.) Same as {Sand saucer}, below.
  
     {Sand crab}. (Zool.)
        (a) The lady crab.
        (b) A land crab, or ocypodian.
  
     {Sand crack} (Far.), a crack extending downward from the
        coronet, in the wall of a horse's hoof, which often causes
        lameness.
  
     {Sand cricket} (Zool.), any one of several species of large
        terrestrial crickets of the genus {Stenophelmatus} and
        allied genera, native of the sandy plains of the Western
        United States.
  
     {Sand cusk} (Zool.), any ophidioid fish. See {Illust.} under
        {Ophidioid}.
  
     {Sand dab} (Zool.), a small American flounder ({Limanda
        ferruginea}); -- called also {rusty dab}. The name is also
        applied locally to other allied species.
  
     {Sand darter} (Zool.), a small etheostomoid fish of the Ohio
        valley ({Ammocrypta pellucida}).
  
     {Sand dollar} (Zool.), any one of several species of small
        flat circular sea urchins, which live on sandy bottoms,
        especially {Echinarachnius parma} of the American coast.
        
  
     {Sand drift}, drifting sand; also, a mound or bank of drifted
        sand.
  
     {Sand eel}. (Zool.)
        (a) A lant, or launce.
        (b) A slender Pacific Ocean fish of the genus
            {Gonorhynchus}, having barbels about the mouth.
  
     {Sand flag}, sandstone which splits up into flagstones.
  
     {Sand flea}. (Zool.)
        (a) Any species of flea which inhabits, or breeds in,
            sandy places, especially the common dog flea.
        (b) The chigoe.
        (c) Any leaping amphipod crustacean; a beach flea, or
            orchestian. See {Beach flea}, under {Beach}.
  
     {Sand flood}, a vast body of sand borne along by the wind.
        --James Bruce.
  
     {Sand fluke}. (Zool.)
        (a) The sandnecker.
        (b) The European smooth dab ({Pleuronectes
            microcephalus}); -- called also {kitt}, {marysole},
            {smear dab}, {town dab}.
  
     {Sand fly} (Zool.), any one of several species of small
        dipterous flies of the genus {Simulium}, abounding on
        sandy shores, especially {Simulium nocivum} of the United
        States. They are very troublesome on account of their
        biting habits. Called also {no-see-um}, {punky}, and
        {midge}.
  
     {Sand gall}. (Geol.) See {Sand pipe}, below.
  
     {Sand grass} (Bot.), any species of grass which grows in
        sand; especially, a tufted grass ({Triplasis purpurea})
        with numerous bearded joints, and acid awl-shaped leaves,
        growing on the Atlantic coast.
  
     {Sand grouse} (Zool.), any one of many species of Old World
        birds belonging to the suborder Pterocletes, and
        resembling both grouse and pigeons. Called also {rock
        grouse}, {rock pigeon}, and {ganga}. They mostly belong to
        the genus {Pterocles}, as the common Indian species
        ({Pterocles exustus}). The large sand grouse ({Pterocles
        arenarius}), the painted sand grouse ({Pterocles
        fasciatus}), and the pintail sand grouse ({Pterocles
        alchata}) are also found in India. See Illust. under
        {Pterocletes}.
  
     {Sand hill}, a hill of sand; a dune.
  
     {Sand-hill crane} (Zool.), the American brown crane ({Grus
        Mexicana}).
  
     {Sand hopper} (Zool.), a beach flea; an orchestian.
  
     {Sand hornet} (Zool.), a sand wasp.
  
     {Sand lark}. (Zool.)
        (a) A small lark ({Alaudala raytal}), native of India.
        (b) A small sandpiper, or plover, as the ringneck, the
            sanderling, and the common European sandpiper.
        (c) The Australian red-capped dotterel ({Aegialophilus
            ruficapillus}); -- called also {red-necked plover}.
  
     {Sand launce} (Zool.), a lant, or launce.
  
     {Sand lizard} (Zool.), a common European lizard ({Lacerta
        agilis}).
  
     {Sand martin} (Zool.), the bank swallow.
  
     {Sand mole} (Zool.), the coast rat.
  
     {Sand monitor} (Zool.), a large Egyptian lizard ({Monitor
        arenarius}) which inhabits dry localities.
  
     {Sand mouse} (Zool.), the dunlin. [Prov. Eng.]
  
     {Sand myrtle}. (Bot.) See under {Myrtle}.
  
     {Sand partridge} (Zool.), either of two small Asiatic
        partridges of the genus {Ammoperdix}. The wings are long
        and the tarsus is spurless. One species ({Ammoperdix
        Heeji}) inhabits Palestine and Arabia. The other species
        ({Ammoperdix Bonhami}), inhabiting Central Asia, is called
        also {seesee partridge}, and {teehoo}.
  
     {Sand picture}, a picture made by putting sand of different
        colors on an adhesive surface.
  
     {Sand pike}. (Zool.)
        (a) The sauger.
        (b) The lizard fish.
  
     {Sand pillar}, a sand storm which takes the form of a
        whirling pillar in its progress in desert tracts like
        those of the Sahara and Mongolia.
  
     {Sand pipe} (Geol.), a tubular cavity, from a few inches to
        several feet in depth, occurring especially in calcareous
        rocks, and often filled with gravel, sand, etc.; -- called
        also {sand gall}.
  
     {Sand pride} (Zool.), a small British lamprey now considered
        to be the young of larger species; -- called also {sand
        prey}.
  
     {Sand pump}, in artesian well boring, a long, slender bucket
        with a valve at the bottom for raising sand from the well.
        
  
     {Sand rat} (Zool.), the pocket gopher.
  
     {Sand rock}, a rock made of cemented sand.
  
     {Sand runner} (Zool.), the turnstone.
  
     {Sand saucer} (Zool.), the mass of egg capsules, or oothecae,
        of any mollusk of the genus {Natica} and allied genera. It
        has the shape of a bottomless saucer, and is coated with
        fine sand; -- called also {sand collar}.
  
     {Sand screw} (Zool.), an amphipod crustacean ({Lepidactylis
        arenarius}), which burrows in the sandy seabeaches of
        Europe and America.
  
     {Sand shark} (Zool.), an American shark ({Odontaspis
        littoralis}) found on the sandy coasts of the Eastern
        United States; -- called also {gray shark}, and {dogfish
        shark}. See Illust. under {Remora}.
  
     {Sand skink} (Zool.), any one of several species of Old World
        lizards belonging to the genus {Seps}; as, the ocellated
        sand skink ({Seps ocellatus}) of Southern Europe.
  
     {Sand skipper} (Zool.), a beach flea, or orchestian.
  
     {Sand smelt} (Zool.), a silverside.
  
     {Sand snake}. (Zool.)
        (a) Any one of several species of harmless burrowing
            snakes of the genus {Eryx}, native of Southern Europe,
            Africa, and Asia, especially {Eryx jaculus} of India
            and {Eryx Johnii}, used by snake charmers.
        (b) Any innocuous South African snake of the genus
            {Psammophis}, especially {Psammophis sibilans}.
  
     {Sand snipe} (Zool.), the sandpiper.
  
     {Sand star} (Zool.), an ophiurioid starfish living on sandy
        sea bottoms; a brittle star.
  
     {Sand storm}, a cloud of sand driven violently by the wind.
        
  
     {Sand sucker}, the sandnecker.
  
     {Sand swallow} (Zool.), the bank swallow. See under {Bank}.
        
  
     {Sand trap}, (Golf) a shallow pit on a golf course having a
        layer of sand in it, usually located near a green, and
        designed to function as a hazard, due to the difficulty of
        hitting balls effectively from such a position.
  
     {Sand tube}, a tube made of sand. Especially:
        (a) A tube of vitrified sand, produced by a stroke of
            lightning; a fulgurite.
        (b) (Zool.) Any tube made of cemented sand.
        (c) (Zool.) In starfishes, a tube having calcareous
            particles in its wall, which connects the oral water
            tube with the madreporic plate.
  
     {Sand viper}. (Zool.) See {Hognose snake}.
  
     {Sand wasp} (Zool.), any one of numerous species of
        hymenopterous insects belonging to the families
        {Pompilidae} and {Spheridae}, which dig burrows in sand.
        The female provisions the nest with insects or spiders
        which she paralyzes by stinging, and which serve as food
        for her young.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Midge \Midge\, n. [OE. migge, AS. mycge; akin to OS. muggia, D.
     mug, G. m["u]cke, OHG. mucca, Icel. m?, Sw. mygga, mygg, Dan.
     myg; perh. named from its buzzing; cf. Gr. ? to low, bellow.]
     (Zool.)
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     1. Any one of many small, delicate, long-legged flies of the
        {Chironomus}, and allied genera, which do not bite. Their
        larvae are usually aquatic.
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     2. A very small fly, abundant in many parts of the United
        States and Canada, noted for the irritating quality of its
        bite.
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     Note: The name is also applied to various other small flies.
           See {Wheat midge}, under {Wheat}.
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From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  midge
       n : minute two-winged mosquito-like fly lacking biting
           mouthparts; appear in dancing swarms especially near
           water

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  43 Moby Thesaurus words for "midge":
     Lilliputian, Tom Thumb, brownie, crumb, dot, drop, droplet, dwarf,
     elf, fleck, flyspeck, gnat, gnome, grain, homunculus, iota, jot,
     lilliputian, manikin, microbe, microorganism, midget, minim,
     minutia, minutiae, mite, mote, particle, peewee, pinhead, pinpoint,
     pip-squeak, point, pygmy, runt, scrap, shrimp, snip, snippet,
     speck, tittle, vanishing point, wart