Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Any of numerous orthopteran insects, chiefly of the suborder Caelifera, characteristically having long, powerful hind legs adapted for jumping.
  • noun A light, usually unarmed airplane used for liaison and scouting.
  • noun A cocktail consisting of crème de menthe, crème de cacao, and cream.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A chaise of which the body is suspended by braces to the rear ends of wooden springs.
  • noun A mechanical arrangement for connecting the sucker-rods of several contiguous petroleum wells with a single steam-engine or other source of motive power.
  • noun A saltatorial orthopterous insect; a popular name of those insects of the order Orthoptera of which the hind legs are fitted for leaping, and of which the males, if winged, produce a shrill, grating sound or stridulation.
  • noun Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, … and the grasshopper after his kind.
  • noun A young lobster.
  • noun In pianoforte-making, the lever or jack at the back of a key which throws the hammer against the string. Also called hopper.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Zoöl.) Any jumping, orthopterous insect, of the families Acrididæ and Locustidæ, having large hind legs adapted for leaping, and chewing mouth parts. The species and genera are very numerous and some are very destructive to crops. The former family includes the Western grasshopper or locust (Caloptenus spretus), noted for the great extent of its ravages in the region beyond the Mississippi. In the Eastern United States the red-legged (Caloptenus femurrubrum and C. atlanis) are closely related species, but their ravages are less important. They are closely related to the migratory locusts of the Old World. See locust.
  • noun In ordinary square or upright pianos of London make, the escapement lever or jack, so made that it can be taken out and replaced with the key; -- called also the hopper.
  • noun (Mil.) An antipersonnel mine that jumps from the ground to body height when activated, and explodes, hurling metal fragments over a wide area.
  • noun A mixed alcoholic beverage containing crème de menthe, light cream, and sometimes crème de cacao. The name comes from its light green color.
  • noun a steam engine having a working beam with its fulcrum at one end, the steam cylinder at the other end, and the connecting rod at an intermediate point.
  • noun (Zoöl.), [Local, U. S.] a young lobster.
  • noun (Zoöl.) cricket bird.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun zoology A herbivorous insect of the order Orthoptera noted for its ability to jump long distances.
  • noun A cocktail made with crème de menthe and optionally with creme de cacao.
  • noun figuratively a young student in initial stages of training who has been chosen on account of their obvious talent
  • noun In ordinary square or upright pianos of London make, the escapement lever or jack, so made that it can be taken out and replaced with the key.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a cocktail made of creme de menthe and cream (sometimes with creme de cacao)
  • noun terrestrial plant-eating insect with hind legs adapted for leaping

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From grass +‎ hopper.

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Examples

  • The grasshopper, you know, what we call the grasshopper in America, is really a locust.

    The Short Stories Ernest Hemingway 1953

  • There are times when minor difficulties grow gigantic -- times, when as the Hebrew poet expressively terms it, "the grasshopper is a burthen;" so was it with our ill fated party this evening.

    III.7 1826

  • Even the grasshopper is a burthen to a weak stomach, and babes in understanding cannot bear and digest strong meat.

    Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume V (Matthew to John) 1721

  • Everyone knows the fable of “The Ant and the Grasshopper,” where the grasshopper is lazy while the ant works hard all summer long preparing for the coming winter.

    Comic Review: The Grasshopper and the Ant | Fandomania 2010

  • The grasshopper is soon dead of a drug overdose, and the Toronto Star blames it on obvious failure of government to address the root causes of despair arising from social inequity.

    The Ant And The Grasshopper 2008

  • Canadians are stunned that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer while others have plenty.

    The Ant And The Grasshopper 2008

  • What you must do, my dear grasshopper, is simply switch soy sauce dishes when Mr. G leaves to "freshen up".

    But I'm not a hamster.. so what would you do? Michele 2007

  • How can this be, that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?

    Good Day, Kiddies rayce 2002

  • The grasshopper is found dead in a drug-related incident and the house, now abandoned, is taken over by a gang of spiders who terrorize the once peaceful neighborhood.

    Good Day, Kiddies rayce 2002

  • One gets weaker as one gets older; and, with weak people as with ignorant ones, the grasshopper is sometimes a burden.

    Parables From Nature 1857

Comments

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  • From the Wikipedia entry for the TV series "Kung Fu":

    "Master Po called his young student "Grasshopper" as a reference to their first meeting in which young Caine said that to be blind must be the worst affliction. Master Po drew attention to the grasshopper at his feet which the blind master could hear but to which Caine had been oblivious and so showed that the pupil still had much to learn."

    September 19, 2007

  • I am *constantly* having to show people how blind they are. I mean, it's my calling and everything, but it still gets old. When will people notice me without Master Po having to point me out?

    January 21, 2008

  • Many of the most destructive grasshopper species have poetic-sounding names: There's the whitewhiskered grasshopper and the threebanded, spottedwinged, redshanked and bigheaded varieties as well. They feed voraciously, eating about half their body weight in foliage each day. --Wall Street Journal.

    March 31, 2010

  • .

    March 31, 2010

  • Cf. Scots gersslouper.

    May 18, 2011