fly-paper
Noun: - Sticky paper for catching flies: "fly-paper" refers to a strip or sheet of paper coated with a sticky, often sweet-smelling substance, designed to trap flies and other flying insects by causing them to adhere to its surface.
- (A sticky paper trap for flies.)
- (A commercial product used for catching flies.)
"to be caught like a fly on fly-paper": a metaphorical expression meaning to be trapped or ensnared in a difficult situation from which escape is nearly impossible.
- He was caught like a fly on fly-paper in the complicated web of lies he had told. (He was hopelessly trapped in his own deception.)
"fly-paper effect": in economics or sociology, a phenomenon where money or resources given to a specific entity (like a local government) tends to stay there rather than being passed on to intended beneficiaries, analogous to flies sticking to fly-paper.
- The fly-paper effect explains why federal grants often increase local government spending rather than reducing local taxes. (The money sticks where it is first received.)
Flypaper (n): an alternative spelling without the hyphen, used interchangeably.
- He placed flypaper near the window to catch the gnats. (Same meaning as fly-paper.)
Flytrap (n): a device or plant that catches flies, such as a Venus flytrap.
- The Venus flytrap is a natural flytrap. (A plant that captures insects.)
- Sticky trap: a general term for any adhesive device used to catch insects.
- Insect glue paper: a more formal term for the same product.
Like a moth to a flame: though not identical, this idiom describes a similar irresistible attraction leading to entrapment.
- He was drawn to the dangerous scheme like a moth to a flame. (Irresistibly attracted, with harmful consequences.)
Stuck like glue: to be firmly attached or unable to move away.
- The child was stuck like glue to his mother's side. (Very close and unwilling to leave.)