Locust

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: lo=cust

CIDE DICTIONARY

Locust, n. [L. locusta locust, grasshopper. Cf. Lobster.].

•  Any one of numerous species of long-winged, migratory, orthopterous insects, of the family Acrididæ, allied to the grasshoppers; esp., (Edipoda migratoria, syn. Pachytylus migratoria, and Acridium perigrinum, of Southern Europe, Asia, and Africa. In the United States the related species with similar habits are usually called grasshoppers. See Grasshopper.  [1913 Webster]

  " These insects are at times so numerous in Africa and the south of Asia as to devour every green thing; and when they migrate, they fly in an immense cloud. In the United States the harvest flies are improperly called locusts. See Cicada."  [1913 Webster]
•  The locust tree. See Locust Tree (definition, note, and phrases).  [1913 Webster]

Locust beetle (Zoöl.), a longicorn beetle (Cyllene robiniæ), which, in the larval state, bores holes in the wood of the locust tree. Its color is brownish black, barred with yellow. Called also locust borer. -- Locust bird (Zoöl.) the rose-colored starling or pastor of India. See Pastor. -- Locust hunter (Zoöl.), an African bird; the beefeater.

Locust bean (Bot.), a commercial name for the sweet pod of the carob tree.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Locust, n.
1 any of various African and Asian grasshoppers of the family Acrididae, migrating in swarms and destroying vegetation.
2 US a cicada.
3 (in full locust bean) a carob.
4 (in full locust tree) a a carob tree. b = ACACIA 2. c = KOWHAI.

Idiom

locust-bird (or -eater) any of various birds feeding on locusts.

Etymology

ME f. OF locuste f. L locusta lobster, locust

ROGET THESAURUS

Locust

Prodigality

N prodigality, prodigence, unthriftiness, waste, profusion, profuseness, extravagance, squandering, malversation, prodigal, spendthrift, waste thrift, losel, squanderer, locust, high roller, prodigal, profuse, thriftless, unthrifty, improvident, wasteful, losel, extravagant, lavish, dissipated, overliberal, full-handed, penny wise and pound foolish, with an unsparing hand, money burning a hole in one's pocket, amor nummi, facile largiri de alieno, wie gewonnen so zerronnen, les fous font les festins et les sages les mangent, spendthrift alike of money and of wit, squandering wealth was his peculiar art.

Evil doer

N evil doer, evil worker, wrongdoer, mischief-maker, marplot, oppressor, tyrant, destroyer, Vandal, iconoclast, firebrand, incendiary, fire bug, pyromaniac, anarchist, communist, terrorist, savage, brute, ruffian, barbarian, semibarbarian, caitiff, desperado, Apache, hoodlum, hood, plug-ugly, Red Skin, tough, Mohawk, Mo-hock, Mo-hawk, bludgeon man, bully, rough, hooligan, larrikin, dangerous classes, ugly customer, thief, cockatrice, scorpion, hornet, snake, viper, adder, snake in the grass, serpent, cobra, asp, rattlesnake, anaconda, canker-worm, wire-worm, locust, Colorado beetle, alacran, alligator, caymon, crocodile, mosquito, mugger, octopus, torpedo, bane, cutthroat, cannibal, anthropophagus, anthropophagist, bloodsucker, vampire, ogre, ghoul, gorilla, vulture, gyrfalcon, gerfalcon, wild beast, tiger, hyena, butcher, hangman, blood-hound, hell- hound, sleuth-hound, catamount, cougar, jaguar, puma, hag, hellhag, beldam, Jezebel, monster, fiend, devil incarnate, demon in human shape, Frankenstein's monster, harpy, siren, Furies, Eumenides, Hun, Attila, scourge of the human race, faenum habet in cornu.