Gnat

A small winged stinging insect, a mosquito, spoken of in the proverbial expression, Mt 23:24, "Ye strain at a gnat, and swallow in a camel," which should read, as it did in the first English translations, "Ye strain out a gnat," etc. The expression alludes to the Jewish custom of filtering wine, for fear of swallowing any insect forbidden by the law as unclean, Le 11:23; and is applied to those who are superstitiously anxious in avoiding small faults, yet do not scruple to commit great sins.