flea

If you lie down with dogs, you will get up with fleas.

Prov. If you associate with bad people, you will acquire their faults. Granddaughter: It's not fair. I'm starting to get a bad reputation just because I'm friends with Suzy and she has a bad reputation. Grandmother: It's only natural. People think that if you lie down with dogs, you will get up with fleas.

See also: get, if, lie, up

not hurt a flea

Fig. not to harm anything or anyone, even a tiny insect. (Also with other forms of negation.) Ted would not even hurt a flea. He could not have struck Bill. Ted would never hurt a flea, and he would not hit anyone as you claim.

See also: hurt

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be as fit as a fiddle  (British, American & Australian) also be as fit as a flea (British & Australian)

to be very healthy My Dad's nearly eighty now but he's as fit as a fiddle.

See also: fiddle, fit

send somebody away with a flea in their ear  (British & Australian informal)

to angrily tell someone to go away A young kid came asking for money but I sent him away with a flea in his ear.

See also: away, ear, send