Meaning of blind-fly | Babel Free

Definitions

1. Any of several medium-sized blood-sucking flies, of the family Tabanidae, usually species in the genus Haematopota.
   countable
2. The game of blind man's buff
   uncountable

Examples

“I caught a number⟳ of that species of Tabanidae which has a large, grey-striped body, greenish-yellow eyes, and entirely transparent wings. This is locally termed the "blind fly⟳" and it feeds on blood.”

“While the bite⟳ of a mosquito or a tsetse fly⟳ may not be noticed, the bite⟳ of a blind-fly is very painful. The female takes about five minutes to gorge itself with blood and when it leaves the host⟳ animal its abdomen is so distended that it must fly⟳ with difficulty. Once it has started to probe it can be killed or picked off with the fingers quite easily. It is perhaps because of this that the name⟳ blind fly⟳ came to be used for a fly⟳ which has large eyes and is by no means blind.”

“Possibly derived from the Italian name⟳ of the game: Mosca cieca, which literally means "blind fly⟳".”

“Bengalis, like⟳ the Italians, call⟳ the name⟳ "Kana Machi, "Blind Fly⟳", and, as with us, the blind man has to touch⟳ one of the players sitting round, and after feeling him, has to state his name⟳.”

CEFR level