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Webster’s Dictionary (1828)



196 words match “BEETLE”

FIREFLY n.
Any luminous winged insect, esp. luminous beetles of the family Lampyridæ.
FLOWER n.
a bouquet. -- Flower bed, a plat in a garden for the cultivation of flowers. -- Flower beetle (Zoöl.), any beetle which feeds upon flowers, esp. any one of numerous small species of the genus Meligethes, family Nitidulidæ, some of which are injurious to crops. -- Flower bird (Zoöl.), an Australian bird of the genus…
FLY-CASE n.
The covering of an insect, esp. the elytra of beetles.
GEODEPHAGOUS a.
Living in the earth; -- applied to the ground beetles.
GIRDLER n.
An American longicorn beetle (Oncideres cingulatus) which lays its eggs in the twigs of the hickory, and then girdles each branch by gnawing a groove around it, thus killing it to provide suitable food for the larvæ.
GOLD n.
ox, used for separating the leaves of metal during the process of gold-beating. -- Gold beetle (Zoöl.), any small gold-colored beetle of the family Chrysomelidæ; -- called also golden beetle. -- Gold blocking, printing with gold leaf, as upon a book cover, by means of an engraved block. Knight. -- Gold cloth. See C…
GRAVEDIGGER n.
See Burying beetle, under Bury, v. t.
GROUND n.
fundamental base; a fundamental base continually repeated to a varied melody. -- Ground beetle (Zoöl.), one of numerous species of carnivorous beetles of the family Carabidæ, living mostly in burrows or under stones, etc. -- Ground chamber, a room on the ground floor. -- Ground cherry. (Bot.) (a) A genus (Physalis)…
GRUB n.
The larva of an insect, especially of a beetle; -- called also grubworm. See Illust. of Goldsmith beetle, under Goldsmith. Yet your butterfly was a grub. Shak.
GRUGRU WORM n.
The larva or grub of a large South American beetle (Calandra palmarum), which lives in the pith of palm trees and sugar cane. It is eaten by the natives, and esteemed a delicacy.
HARLEQUIN n.
an Indian bat (Scotophilus ornatus), curiously variegated with white spots. -- Harlequin beetle (Zoöl.), a very large South American beetle (Acrocinus longimanus) having very long legs and antennæ. The elytra are curiously marked with red, black, and gray. -- Harlequin cabbage bug. (Zoöl.) See Calicoback. -- Harlequ…
HERCULES n.
A constellation in the northern hemisphere, near Lyra. Hercules' beetle (Zoöl.), any species of Dynastes, an American genus of very large lamellicorn beetles, esp. D. hercules of South America, which grows to a length of six inches. -- Hercules' club. (Bot.) (a) An ornamental tree of the West Indies (Zanthoxylum Clava…
HETEROMEROUS a.
ints in the anterior and middle legs, but only four in the posterior pair, as the blister beetles and oil beetles.
HOP n.
in miniature (Trifolium agrarium, and T. procumbens). -- Hop flea (Zoöl.), a small flea beetle (Haltica concinna), very injurious to hops. -- Hop fly (Zoöl.), an aphid (Phorodon humuli), very injurious to hop vines. -- Hop froth fly (Zoöl.), an hemipterous insect (Aphrophora interrupta), allied to the cockoo spits.…
HORNBUG n.
A large nocturnal beetle of the genus Lucanus (as L. capreolus, and L. dama), having long, curved upper jaws, resembling a sickle. The grubs are found in the trunks of old trees.
HUM n.
ht, of a swiftly revolving top, of a wheel, or the like; a drone; a buzz. The shard-borne beetle with his drowsy hums. Shak.
JUNE n.
days. And what is so rare as a day in June Then, if ever, come perfect days. Lowell. June beetle, June bug (Zoöl.), any one of several species of large brown beetles of the genus Lachnosterna and related genera; -- so called because they begin to fly, in the northern United States, about the first of June. The larvæ of…
LADDER n.
ence. Lowliness is young ambition's ladder. Shak. Fish ladder. See under Fish. -- Ladder beetle (Zoöl.), an American leaf beetle (Chrysomela scalaris). The elytra are silvery white, striped and spotted with green; the under wings are rose-colored. It feeds upon the linden tree. -- Ladder handle, an iron rail at the s…
LADYBIRD n.
Any one of numerous species of small beetles of the genus Coccinella and allied genera (family Coccinellidæ); -- called also ladybug, ladyclock, lady cow, lady fly, and lady beetle. Coccinella seplempunctata in one of the common European species. See Coccinella.
LAMELLICORNIA n.
A group of lamellicorn, plant-eating beetles; -- called also Lamellicornes.
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