frog

Everyday

1. A frog is a small green or brown animal with long back legs that jumps and lives near water. tree →
2. «A frog in your throat» means a croaky voice. tree →

In the lessons

a jumper in a jumping contest, compared with the grasshopper and the mouse; or animals counted in a pond; in science, a frog is an amphibian: tadpoles hatch from eggs and grow into frogs; phrases: «frog spawn», «a frog in my throat», «leap frog»

Examples

• The grasshopper jumped 19 inches. tree →
• The frog jumped 10 inches farther than the grasshopper. tree →
• How far did the frog jump? tree →
• There are 8 frogs in the pond. tree →
• A tadpole grows into a frog. tree →
• Frogs lay their eggs in water. tree →
• The frog caught a fly with its long tongue. tree →
• We played leapfrog in the playground. tree →
• The Frog puffed up still more. tree →

Note

Countable: a frog, frogs. A name in a comparison: «the frog jumped N inches farther than X» means add N to X. Trap: «farther» adds, «less than» takes away; find who is compared to whom. Myth: touching a frog does not give you warts, but wash your hands after.

In Jewish tradition

One of the ten plagues on Egypt, when frogs filled the land.

Interpretation. Tradition tells that the frogs came from the Nile and covered Egypt; it is recalled at Passover when drops of wine are spilled for the plagues.

Examples

• And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs. (Torah EXO.8.2, JPS 1917) tree →
• And the frogs shall come up both upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants.' (Torah EXO.8.4, JPS 1917) tree →
• And the magicians did in like manner with their secret arts, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt. (Torah EXO.8.7, JPS 1917) tree →
• Their land swarmed with frogs, in the chambers of their kings. (Writings PSA.105.30, JPS 1917) tree →
• He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them. (Writings PSA.78.45, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Countable: a frog, frogs. A name in a comparison: «the frog jumped N inches farther than X» means add N to X. Trap: «farther» adds, «less than» takes away; find who is compared to whom. Myth: touching a frog does not give you warts, but wash your hands after.