From WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003) [wn]:
flea
n : any wingless blood-sucking parasitic insect noted for
ability to leap
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Flea \Flea\ (fl[=e]), v. t. [See Flay.]
To flay. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
He will be fleaed first
And horse collars made of's skin. --J. Fletcher.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Flea \Flea\, n. [OE. fle, flee, AS. fle['a], fle['a]h; akin to
D. vtoo, OHG. fl[=o]h, G. floh, Icel. fl[=o], Russ. blocha;
prob. from the root of E. flee. [root]84. See Flee.]
(Zool.)
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
(Ctenocephalides canis, formerly Pulex canis) and the
smaller cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) take its place.
See Aphaniptera, and Dog flea. See Illustration in
Appendix.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]