scare-sleep

English

Noun

scare-sleep (plural scare-sleeps)

1. (obsolete) An insect, a lanternfly (Fulgora laternaria).
   • 1796, J[ohn] G[abriel] Stedman, Narrative of a Five Years’ Expedition against the Revolted Negroes of Surinam, in Guiana, on the Wild Coast of South America; […], volume II, London: J[oseph] Johnson, […], and J. Edwards, […], →OCLC, page 38:

     The other was a large fly, which Madam Merian, who gives a drawing of it, calls the vielleur, but which I have generally heard called the ſcare-ſleep by the Dutch.

   • 1828, William Kirby, William Spence, “On the Noises Produced by Insects”, in An Introduction to Entomology, volume II, page 397:

     The great lantern-fly (Fulgora laternaria), from its noise in the evening—nearly resembling the sound of a cymbal, or razor-grinder when at work—is called Scare-sleep by the Dutch in Guiana.

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