devil's darning-needle

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Dragonfly: "devil's darning-needle" is a colloquial term, primarily used in American English, for a dragonfly. The name likely derives from the insect's long, slender body and needle-like appearance, historically associated with folk beliefs that it could sew up the mouths or ears of naughty children.

Usage Examples

• (A dragonfly is flying near the water.)
• (A folk superstition about dragonflies.)

Advanced Usage

• Regional and folk usage: The term is often found in older or dialectal American English, especially in storytelling or descriptions of nature.
  • Grandpa used to call every dragonfly a devil's darning-needle, claiming they were the devil's sewing tools. (A traditional, informal name for dragonflies.)

Variants and Related Words

• Devil's darning-needle (n): an alternative spelling or hyphenation; no common variants exist, but the term is sometimes shortened to "darning-needle" in folk contexts.
• Dragonfly (n): the standard, scientific term for the insect.
  • The dragonfly, or devil's darning-needle, is a beneficial predator of mosquitoes. (Both names refer to the same insect.)

Synonyms

• Dragonfly: the most common and formal synonym.
• Mosquito hawk: a colloquial term for dragonflies, referencing their diet.
• Sewing needle: a folk name based on the insect's shape.

Related Idioms

• "Sew someone's mouth shut like a devil's darning-needle": a folk expression meaning to silence someone, often used as a threat to children.
  • If you keep talking back, a devil's darning-needle will sew your mouth shut! (A warning based on superstition.)

Notes on Usage

• This term is archaic or dialectal in modern English; it is rarely used in everyday speech except in historical or regional contexts.
• It is not a scientific term; the correct biological name is "dragonfly."