Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A May-fly: a popular name of the neuropterous insects of the family Ephemeridæ: so called because, however long they may live in the larval state, in their perfect form they exist only from a few hours to a few days, taking no food, but only propagating and then dying. See
Ephemeridæ .
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun (Zoöl.) A neuropterous insect of the genus Ephemera and related genera, of many species, and inhabiting fresh water in the larval state; the ephemeral fly; -- so called because it commonly lives but one day in the winged or adult state. See Ephemeral fly, under
ephemeral .
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A
mayfly .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun slender insect with delicate membranous wings having an aquatic larval stage and terrestrial adult stage usually lasting less than two days
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Bloodless and many footed animals, whether furnished with wings or feet, move with more than four points of motion; as, for instance, the dayfly moves with four feet and four wings: and, I may observe in passing, this creature is exceptional not only in regard to the duration of its existence, whence it receives its name, but also because though a quadruped it has wings also.
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The 22-year-old manual worker has been living like a "dayfly," as he calls it, barely making a living enough for a day.
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Dazzled, the dayfly flutters round your wick, crackles, flares and cries: I bless this torch!
hustler of culture 2009
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Bloodless and many footed animals, whether furnished with wings or feet, move with more than four points of motion; as, for instance, the dayfly (ephémeron) moves with four feet and four wings: and, I may observe in passing, this creature is exceptional not only in regard to the duration of its existence, whence it receives its name, but also because though a quadruped it has wings also.
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Be still, ere I smite you like the dayfly you are! "
The Boat of a Million Years Anderson, Poul, 1926- 1989
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Be still, ere I smite you like the dayfly you are! "
The Boat of a Million Years Anderson, Poul, 1926- 1988
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