Hypertext Webster Gateway: "thistle"

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary (easton)

Thistle
(1.) Heb. hoah (2 Kings 14:9; Job 31:40). In Job 41:2 the Hebrew
word is rendered "thorn," but in the Revised Version "hook." It
is also rendered "thorn" in 2 Chr. 33:11; Prov. 26:9; Cant. 2:2;
"brambles" in Isa. 34:13. It is supposed to be a variety of the
wild plum-tree, but by some it is regarded as the common
thistle, of which there are many varieties in Palestine.

(2.) Heb. dardar, meaning "a plant growing luxuriantly" (Gen.
3:18; Hos. 10:8); Gr. tribolos, "a triple point" (Matt. 7:16;
Heb. 6:8, "brier," R.V. "thistle"). This was probably the
star-thistle, called by botanists Centaurea calcitropa, or
"caltrops," a weed common in corn-fields. (See {THORNS}.)

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Thistle \This"tle\, n. [OE. thistil, AS. [thorn]istel; akin to
D. & G. distel, OHG. distila, distil, Icel. [thorn]istill,
Sw. tistel, Dan. tidsel; of uncertain origin.] (Bot.)
Any one of several prickly composite plants, especially those
of the genera {Cnicus}, {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}, {Cnicus arvensis}, a native of Europe, but
introduced into the United States from Canada.

{Cotton thistle}, {Onopordon Acanthium}.

{Fuller's thistle}, the teasel.

{Globe thistle}, {Melon thistle}, etc. See under {Globe},
{Melon}, etc.

{Pine thistle}, {Atractylis gummifera}, a native of the
Mediterranean region. A vicid gum resin flows from the
involucre.

{Scotch thistle}, either the cotton thistle, or the musk
thistle, or the spear thistle; -- all used national
emblems of Scotland.

{Sow thistle}, {Sonchus oleraceus}.

{Spear thistle}. Same as {Bull 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} (Zo["o]l.), the American goldfinch, or
yellow-bird ({Spinus tristis}); -- so called on account of
its feeding on the seeds of thistles. See Illust. under
{Goldfinch}.

{Thistle butterfly} (Zo["o]l.), a handsomely colored American
butterfly ({Vanessa cardui}) whose larva feeds upon
thistles; -- called also {painted lady}.

{Thistle cock} (Zo["o]l.), the corn bunting ({Emberiza
militaria}). [Prov. Eng.]

{Thistle crown}, a gold coin of England of the reign of James
I., worth four shillings.

{Thistle finch} (Zo["o]l.), the goldfinch; -- so called from
its fondness for thistle seeds. [Prov. Eng.]

{Thistle funnel}, a funnel having a bulging body and flaring
mouth.

From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)

thistle
n : any of numerous plants of the family Compositae and
especially of the genera Carduus and Cirsium and
Onopordum having prickly-edged leaves


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