[ noun ] large usually hairy metallic blue or green fly; lays eggs in carrion or dung or wounds <noun.animal>
Blowfly \Blow"fly`\, n. (Zo["o]l.) Any species of fly of the genus {Musca} that deposits its eggs or young larv[ae] (called flyblows and maggots) upon meat or other animal products.
Flesh \Flesh\ (fl[e^]sh), n. [OE. flesch, flesc, AS. fl[=ae]sc; akin to OFries. fl[=a]sk, D. vleesch, OS. fl[=e]sk, OHG. fleisc, G. fleisch, Icel. & Dan. flesk lard, bacon, pork, Sw. fl["a]sk.] 1. The aggregate of the muscles, fat, and other tissues which cover the framework of bones in man and other animals; especially, the muscles.
Note: In composition it is mainly proteinaceous, but contains in adition a large number of low-molecular-weight subtances, such as creatin, xanthin, hypoxanthin, carnin, etc. It is also rich in potassium phosphate.
2. Animal food, in distinction from vegetable; meat; especially, the body of beasts and birds used as food, as distinguished from {fish}.
With roasted flesh, or milk, and wastel bread. --Chaucer.
3. The human body, as distinguished from the soul; the corporeal person.
As if this flesh, which walls about our life, Were brass impregnable. --Shak.
4. The human eace; mankind; humanity.
All flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. --Gen. vi. 12.
5. Human nature: (a) In a good sense, tenderness of feeling; gentleness.
There is no flesh in man's obdurate heart. --Cowper. (b) In a bad sense, tendency to transient or physical pleasure; desire for sensual gratification; carnality. (c) (Theol.) The character under the influence of animal propensities or selfish passions; the soul unmoved by spiritual influences.
6. Kindred; stock; race.
He is our brother and our flesh. --Gen. xxxvii. 27.
7. The soft, pulpy substance of fruit; also, that part of a root, fruit, and the like, which is fit to be eaten.
Note: Flesh is often used adjectively or self-explaining compounds; as, flesh broth or flesh-broth; flesh brush or fleshbrush; flesh tint or flesh-tint; flesh wound.
{After the flesh}, after the manner of man; in a gross or earthly manner. ``Ye judge after the flesh.'' --John viii. 15.
{An arm of flesh}, human strength or aid.
{Flesh and blood}. See under {Blood}.
{Flesh broth}, broth made by boiling flesh in water.
{Flesh fly} (Zo["o]l.), one of several species of flies whose larv[ae] or maggots feed upon flesh, as the bluebottle fly; -- called also {meat fly}, {carrion fly}, and {blowfly}. See {Blowly}.
{Flesh meat}, animal food. --Swift.
{Flesh side}, the side of a skin or hide which was next to the flesh; -- opposed to {grain side}.
{Flesh tint} (Painting), a color used in painting to imitate the hue of the living body.
{Flesh worm} (Zo["o]l.), any insect larva of a flesh fly. See {Flesh fly} (above).
{Proud flesh}. See under {Proud}.
{To be one flesh}, to be closely united as in marriage; to become as one person. --Gen. ii. 24.
The screwworm is the larva of a blowfly which infests wounds and apertures like nostrils, breeding there and debilitating warm-blooded animals.