Hypertext Webster Gateway: "nettle"
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary (easton)
Nettle
(1.) Heb. haral, "pricking" or "burning," Prov. 24:30, 31 (R.V.
marg., "wild vetches"); Job 30:7; Zeph. 2:9. Many have supposed
that some thorny or prickly plant is intended by this word, such
as the bramble, the thistle, the wild plum, the cactus or
prickly pear, etc. It may probably be a species of mustard, the
Sinapis arvensis, which is a pernicious weed abounding in
corn-fields. Tristram thinks that this word "designates the
prickly acanthus (Acanthus spinosus), a very common and
troublesome weed in the plains of Palestine."
(2.) Heb. qimmosh, Isa. 34:13; Hos. 9:6; Prov. 24:31 (in both
versions, "thorns"). This word has been regarded as denoting
thorns, thistles, wild camomile; but probably it is correctly
rendered "nettle," the Urtica pilulifera, "a tall and vigorous
plant, often 6 feet high, the sting of which is much more severe
and irritating than that of our common nettle."
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Nettle \Net"tle\, n. [AS. netele; akin to D. netel, G. nessel,
OHG. nezz["i]la, nazza, Dan. nelde, n["a]lde, Sw. n["a]ssla;
cf, Lith. notere.] (Bot.)
A plant of the genus {Urtica}, covered with minute sharp
hairs containing a poison that produces a stinging sensation.
{Urtica gracitis} is common in the Northern, and {U.
cham[ae]dryoides} in the Southern, United States. the common
European species, {U. urens} and {U. dioica}, are also found
in the Eastern united States. {U. pilulifera} is the Roman
nettle of England.
Note: The term nettle has been given to many plants related
to, or to some way resembling, the true nettle; as:
{Australian nettle}, a stinging tree or shrub of the genus
{Laportea} (as {L. gigas} and {L. moroides}); -- also
called {nettle tree}.
{Bee nettle}, {Hemp nettle}, a species of {Galeopsis}. See
under {Hemp}.
{Blind nettle}, {Dead nettle}, a harmless species of
{Lamium}.
{False nettle} ({B[ae]hmeria cylindrica}), a plant common in
the United States, and related to the true nettles.
{Hedge nettle}, a species of {Stachys}. See under {Hedge}.
{Horse nettle} ({Solanum Carolinense}). See under {Horse}.
{nettle tree}.
(a) Same as {Hackberry}.
(b) See {Australian nettle} (above).
{Spurge nettle}, a stinging American herb of the Spurge
family ({Jatropha urens}).
{Wood nettle}, a plant ({Laportea Canadensis}) which stings
severely, and is related to the true nettles.
{Nettle cloth}, a kind of thick cotton stuff, japanned, and
used as a substitute for leather for various purposes.
{Nettle rash} (Med.), an eruptive disease resembling the
effects of whipping with nettles.
{Sea nettle} (Zo["o]l.), a medusa.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Nettle \Net"tle\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Nettled}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Nettling}.]
To fret or sting; to irritate or vex; to cause to experience
sensations of displeasure or uneasiness not amounting to
violent anger.
The princes were so nettled at the scandal of this
affront, that every man took it to himself.
--L'Estrange.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
nettle
n : any of numerous plants having stinging hairs that cause skin
irritation on contact (especially of the genus Urtica or
family Urticaceae)
v 1: goad or provoke,as by constant criticism; "He needled her
with his sarcastic remarks" [syn: {needle}, {goad}]
2: cause annoyance in; disturb, esp. by minor irritations:
"Mosquitoes buzzing in my ear really bothers me"; "It
irritates me that she never closes the door after she
leaves" [syn: {annoy}, {rag}, {get to}, {bother}, {get at},
{irritate}, {rile}, {nark}, {gravel}, {vex}, {chafe}, {devil}]
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