THISTLE n.
ll thistle. -- Star thistle, a species of Centaurea. See Centaurea. -- Torch thistle, a candelabra-shaped plant of the genus Cereus. See Cereus. -- Yellow thistle, Cincus horridulus. Thistle bird (Zoöl.), the American goldfinch, or yellow-bird (Spinus tristis); -- so called on account of its feeding on the seeds of…
TOUTER n.
s customers, as for an inn, a public conveyance, shops, and the like: hence, an obtrusive candidate for office. [Colloq.] The prey of ring droppers, . . . duffers, touters, or any of those bloodless sharpers who are, perhaps, better known to the police. Dickens.
UNIT n.
e degree of the Fahrenheit scale. Rankine. -- Unit of illumination, the light of a sperm candle burning 120 grains per hour. Standard gas, burning at the rate of five cubic feet per hour, must have an illuminating power equal to that of fourteen such candles. -- Unit of measure (as of length, surface, volume, dry mea…
WASSAIL a.
Of or pertaining to wassail, or to a wassail; convivial; as, a wassail bowl. "Awassail candle, my lord, all tallow." Shak. Wassail bowl, a bowl in which wassail was mixed, and placed upon the table. "Spiced wassail bowl." J. Fletcher. "When the cloth was removed, the butler brought in a huge silver vessel . . . Its app…
WATCH n.
watch begins. -- Watch light, a low-burning lamp used by watchers at night; formerly, a candle having a rush wick. -- Watch night, The last night of the year; -- so called by the Methodists, Moravians, and others, who observe it by holding religious meetings lasting until after midnight. -- Watch paper, an old-fash…