WordWeight : Weighing the Words

Pronunciation : Horse"fly`
Part of Speech : n.;
Definition : 1. (Zo?l.)

Defn: Any dipterous fly of the family Tabanid?, that stings horses, and sucks their blood.

Note: Of these flies there are numerous species, both in Europe and America. They have a large proboscis with four sharp lancets for piercing the skin. Called also breeze fly. See Illust. under Diptera, and Breeze fly.

2. (Zo?l.)

Defn: The horse tick or forest fly (Hippobosca).

pl. Horseflies (.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913