louse
1. louse \'lau.s\ \'li-s\ n or lice or lous.es [ME lous, fr. OE lu-s; akin to OHG lu-s louse, W lla]u lice pl 1a: any of various small wingless usu. flattened insects (orders Anoplura a nd Mallophaga) parasitic on warm-blooded animals; broadly : a small usu. sluggish arthropod that lives on other animals or on plants and sucks their blood or juices 1b: any of several small arthropods that are not parasitic pl 2: a contemptible person : HEEL 2. louse \'lau.s, 'lau.z\ vt : to pick lice from : DELOUSE
Webster's English Dictionary