different between gnat vs gnast

English

Etymology

From Middle English gnat, from Old English gnætt (“gnat; midge; mosquito”), from Proto-Germanic *gnattaz, *gnattuz (“gnat”), from Proto-Indo-European *g?neHd?n-, *g?neHd- (“to gnaw; scratch”), from Proto-Indo-European *g?en- (“to gnaw; bite; scratch; grind”). Cognate with Low German Gnatte (“gnat”), dialectal Swedish gnatt (“mote; particle; atom”), German Gnatz (“scabs; rash; scabies; stinginess”). Related also gnit and gnaw.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /næt/
• Rhymes: -æt

Noun

gnat (plural gnats)

1. Any small insect of the order Diptera, specifically within the suborder Nematocera.

Related terms

• gnit

Derived terms

• gnat's
• gnat's arse, gnat's ass
• gnat bug
• gnatcatcher
• gnat's chuff
• gnateater
• gnat's prick
• gnat's whisker

Translations

See also

• midge

Anagrams

• Gant, T'ang, Tang, tang

Middle English

Alternative forms

• gnatte, knat, knatte, gnet

Etymology

From Old English gnætt, from Proto-Germanic *gnattaz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?nat/, /?n?t/

Noun

gnat (plural gnattes)

1. A gnat or similar insect.
2. Something of little worth or importance.

Descendants

• English: gnat
• Scots: gnat

References

• “gnat, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-10-17.

Polish

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *gnat?.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?nat/

Noun

gnat m anim

1. (colloquial) large bone
2. (slang) gun

Declension

Further reading

• gnat in Wielki s?ownik j?zyka polskiego, Instytut J?zyka Polskiego PAN
• gnat in Polish dictionaries at PWN

English

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -æst

Etymology 1

From Middle English gnast, knast, from Old English *gn?st (“spark”) (attested in f?rgn?st (“spark of fire”)), from Proto-Germanic *gahnaistô (“spark”), from Proto-Germanic *ga- + Proto-Germanic *hnaistô (“spark”), perhaps from the ultimate (imitative) source of German knistern (“to crackle”).

Cognate with German dialectal Ganster (“spark”), Danish gnist (“spark, sparkle”), Swedish gnista (“spark”), Icelandic gneisti, neisti (“spark”), German Gneis (“spark, gneiss”) (whence English gneiss).

Noun

gnast (plural gnasts)

1. (obsolete) A spark; a dying or dead spark, as of a snuffed candle.

Etymology 2

From Middle English gnasten, gnaisten, from Old English *gn?stan, from Proto-Germanic *gnaistijan?, causative of *gn?stijan? (“to grind”), from Proto-Indo-European *ghneidh-, *g?neyd- (“to gnaw, scratch, rub”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian knasterje (“to gnash”), German Low German gnatschen (“to knead, gnash”), German knastern (“to gnash”), Icelandic gnesta (“to crack”).

Verb

gnast (third-person singular simple present gnasts, present participle gnasting, simple past and past participle gnasted)

1. (transitive, intransitive, obsolete) To gnash.

Derived terms

• gnasting

References

Anagrams

• 'ganst, Gnats, Stang, Tangs, Tsang, angst, gnat's, gnats, stang, tangs

Middle English

Alternative forms

• gnost, gnoste, knast

Etymology

From Old English *gn?st, from Proto-Germanic *gahnaistô.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?nast/, /?n??st/

Noun

gnast

1. spark (small fire)
2. ash (burnt-out lit matter)

Descendants

• English: gnast

References

• “gn?st, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.