'Spear thistle' definitions:
Definition of 'spear thistle'
From: WordNet
noun
European thistle with rather large heads and prickly leaves; extensively naturalized as a weed in the United States [syn: bull thistle, boar thistle, spear thistle, Cirsium vulgare, Cirsium lanceolatum]
Definition of 'Spear thistle'
From: GCIDE
- 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. [1913 Webster]
- 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. [1913 Webster]
- Thistle bird (Zool.), 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 (Zool.), a handsomely colored American butterfly (Vanessa cardui) whose larva feeds upon thistles; -- called also painted lady.
- Thistle cock (Zool.), 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 (Zool.), the goldfinch; -- so called from its fondness for thistle seeds. [Prov. Eng.]
- Thistle funnel, a funnel having a bulging body and flaring mouth. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Spear thistle'
From: GCIDE
- Spear \Spear\, n. [OE. spere, AS. spere; akin to D. & G. speer, OS. & OHS. sper, Icel. spj["o]r, pl., Dan. spaer, L. sparus.]
- 1. A long, pointed weapon, used in war and hunting, by thrusting or throwing; a weapon with a long shaft and a sharp head or blade; a lance.
- Note: [See Illust. of Spearhead.] "A sharp ground spear." --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
- They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. --Micah iv. 3. [1913 Webster]
- 2. Fig.: A spearman. --Sir W. Scott. [1913 Webster]
- 3. A sharp-pointed instrument with barbs, used for stabbing fish and other animals. [1913 Webster]
- 4. A shoot, as of grass; a spire. [1913 Webster]
- 5. The feather of a horse. See Feather, n., 4. [1913 Webster]
- 6. The rod to which the bucket, or plunger, of a pump is attached; a pump rod. [1913 Webster]
- Spear foot, the off hind foot of a horse.
- Spear grass. (Bot.) (a) The common reed. See Reed, n., 1. (b) meadow grass. See under Meadow.
- Spear hand, the hand in which a horseman holds a spear; the right hand. --Crabb.
- Spear side, the male line of a family. --Lowell.
- Spear thistle (Bot.), the common thistle ({Cnicus lanceolatus}). [1913 Webster]