gadfly
a person who irritates others
TRANSLATION
gadfly = (figurativ) der Nervtöter, der Quälgeist, der Störenfried (Zoologie) die Viehbremse, die Bremse --- GOOGLE INDEX gadfly: approximately 1,500,000 hits
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
Michael Moore, the documentary filmmaker, has made a name for himself as a professional GADFLY.
(www.slate.com)
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Direct Revenue has been castigated (gehetzt) by consumer advocates such as Ben Edelman, a Harvard University Law School student and advertising software industry GADFLY.
(eWeek Magazine)
(www.slate.com)
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Direct Revenue has been castigated (gehetzt) by consumer advocates such as Ben Edelman, a Harvard University Law School student and advertising software industry GADFLY.
(eWeek Magazine)
Did you
know?
gadfly
noun
1. A persistent irritating critic; a nuisance.
2. One that acts as a provocative stimulus; a goad.
3. Any of various flies, especially of the family Tabanidae, that bite or annoy livestock and other animals.
(The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition)
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WORD ORIGIN
Circa 1629. Gadfly literally means a fly that is a nuisance. Gad likely derives from the Old English gad, which was a spearhead. It later changed to goad and referred to a pointed stick used to prod animals. To goad is to provoke someone or an animal in an annoying manner until they react or do something.
All of us have probably known a gadfly, whether it was one of the neighbourhood kids, a classmate or someone in the office who constantly provokes others into arguments or heated discussions.
One of the more public gadflies in recent memory is Michael Moore, the American documentary (mockumentary, see the January 10, 2007 OWAD)) filmmaker whose has provoked the likes of General Motors (Roger and Me), the gun industry (Bowling for Columbine) and the current Bush administration (Fahrenheit 911). In his next film, he plans to take on the American health care industry.
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IMPRESS YOUR FRIENDS TODAY
say something like:
“I’m not inviting him to any more of our weekly status meetings. He’s nothing but a gadfly!”
noun
1. A persistent irritating critic; a nuisance.
2. One that acts as a provocative stimulus; a goad.
3. Any of various flies, especially of the family Tabanidae, that bite or annoy livestock and other animals.
(The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition)
---
WORD ORIGIN
Circa 1629. Gadfly literally means a fly that is a nuisance. Gad likely derives from the Old English gad, which was a spearhead. It later changed to goad and referred to a pointed stick used to prod animals. To goad is to provoke someone or an animal in an annoying manner until they react or do something.
All of us have probably known a gadfly, whether it was one of the neighbourhood kids, a classmate or someone in the office who constantly provokes others into arguments or heated discussions.
One of the more public gadflies in recent memory is Michael Moore, the American documentary (mockumentary, see the January 10, 2007 OWAD)) filmmaker whose has provoked the likes of General Motors (Roger and Me), the gun industry (Bowling for Columbine) and the current Bush administration (Fahrenheit 911). In his next film, he plans to take on the American health care industry.
---
IMPRESS YOUR FRIENDS TODAY
say something like:
“I’m not inviting him to any more of our weekly status meetings. He’s nothing but a gadfly!”
