Thorn

thorn, n. a sharp, woody spine on the stem of a plant: a spine: a plant having spines or thorns: anything prickly or troublesome.— ns. Thorn′-app′le , a plant of genus Datura : a haw, a thorn-tree; Thorn′back , a species of ray or skate which has nail-like crooked spines in its back; Thorn′bill , a variety of humming-bird with short, straight bill; Thorn′-bush , a shrub producing thorns; Thorn′-hedge , a hedge of hawthorn.— adjs. Thorn′le , without thorns; Thorn′set , set or beset with thorns; Thorn′y , full of thorns: prickly: troublesome: hara ing (A.S. thorniht ).— Thorn in the flesh , any cause of constant irritation, from 2 Cor. xii. 7. [A.S. thorn ; Ice. thorn , Ger. dorn .]