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Webster’s Dictionary (1828)



42 words match “THISTLE”

THISTLE n.
, Craduus, and Onopordon. The name is often also applied to other prickly plants. Blessed thistle, Carduus benedictus, so named because it was formerly considered an antidote to the bite of venomous creatures. -- Bull thistle, Cnicus lanceolatus, the common large thistle of neglected pastures. -- Canada thistle, Cnic…
BLESSED THISTLE n.
See under Thistle.
CARLINE THISTLE n.
A prickly plant of the genus Carlina (C. vulgaris), found in Europe and Asia.
AIGRET; AIGRETTE n.
A feathery crown of seed; egret; as, the aigrette or down of the dandelion or the thistle.
ARTICHOKE n.
The Cynara scolymus, a plant somewhat resembling a thistle, with a dilated, imbricated, and prickly involucre. The head (to which the name is also applied) is composed of numerous oval scales, inclosing the florets, sitting on a broad receptacle, which, with the fleshy base of the scales, is much esteemed as an article…
BUR; BURR n.
e, as of the chestnut and burdock. Also, any weed which bears burs. Amongst rude burs and thistles. Milton. Bur and brake and brier. Tennyson.
CENTAUREA n.
A large genus of composite plants, related to the thistles and including the cornflower or bluebottle (Centaurea Cyanus) and the star thistle (C. Calcitrapa).
COMPOSITE a.
ng to the order Compositæ; bearing involucrate heads of many small florets, as the daisy, thistle, and dandelion. Composite carriage, a railroad car having compartments of different classes. [Eng.] -- Composite number (Math.), one which can be divided exactly by a number exceeding unity, as 6 by 2 or 3.prime number. -…
EGRET n.
The flying feathery or hairy crown of seeds or achenes, as the down of the thistle.
ERYNGIUM n.
A genus of umbelliferous plants somewhat like thistles in appearance. Eryngium maritimum, or sea holly, has been highly esteemed as an aphrodisiac, the roots being formerly candied.
FLORET n.
numerous little flowers which compose the head or anthodium in such flowers as the daisy, thistle, and dandelion. Gray.
FULLER n.
soapwort (Saponaria officinalis), formerly used to remove stains from cloth. -- Fuller's thistle or weed (Bot.), the teasel (Dipsacus fullonum) whose burs are used by fullers in dressing cloth. See Teasel.
GATHER v.
. A rose just gathered from the stalk. Dryden. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles Matt. vii. 16. Gather us from among the heathen. Ps. cvi. 47.
GLOBE n.
t rifles. -- Globe slater (Zoöl.), an isopod crustacean of the genus Spheroma. -- Globe thistle (Bot.), a thistlelike plant with the flowers in large globular heads (Cynara Scolymus); also, certain species of the related genus Echinops. -- Globe valve. (a) A ball valve. (b) A valve inclosed in a globular chamber. Kn…
GOLDFINCH n. 2 definitions
ngs and tail, black; -- called also goldspink, goldie, fool's coat, drawbird, draw-water, thistle finch, and sweet William.
HARE n.
he hare in size and color, -- Hare's lettuce (Bot.), a plant of the genus Sonchus, or sow thistle; -- so called because hares are said to eat it when fainting with heat. Dr. Prior. -- Jumping hare. (Zoöl.) See under Jumping. -- Little chief hare, or Crying hare. (Zoöl.) See Chief hare. -- Sea hare. (Zoöl.) See Aplys…
HEAD n.
A dense cluster of flowers, as in clover, daisies, thistles; a capitulum.
HEDGEHOG n.
gehog shell (Zoöl.), any spinose, marine, univalve shell of the genus Murex. -- Hedgehog thistle (Bot.), a plant of the Cactus family, globular in form, and covered with spines (Echinocactus). -- Sea hedgehog. See Diodon.
HOLY a.
Holy Spirit, same as Holy Ghost (above). -- Holy Spirit plant. See Dove plant. -- Holy thistle (Bot.), the blessed thistle. See under Thistle. -- Holy Thursday. (Eccl.) (a) (Episcopal Ch.) Ascension day. (b) (R. C. Ch.) The Thursday in Holy Week; Maundy Thursday. -- Holy war, a crusade; an expedition carried on by…
INSTEAD adv.
In the place or room; -- usually followed by of. Let thistles grow of wheat. Job xxxi. 40. Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab. 2 Sam. xvii. 25.
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