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[NL., duckling, Ancient Egyptian Netting-needles. dim. of νῆττα, a duck: see Anas.] A genus of very small and pretty ducks of the family Ana tide and the subfamily An at in a, containing such as N. crecca of Europe and the similar N. carol in ens is of North America; the green winged teals. See teal. nettlel (net'l), n. [ netele, netle = D. netel = MLG. netele, nettele = OHG. nezzila, nezila, MHG. nezzel, G. ne el = Dan. nelde (for * nedle ) = Sw. nä l a (after G., the reg. form being * nätla ); with dim. suf IMG:content-1327.png:[blocks in formation] 3976 fix -el ( -la ), from a simple form seen in OHG. nazza, a nettle; root unknown; perhaps connected with net1. The OPru . noatis, Lith. no tere, Ir. nenaid, nettle, appear to be unrelated. Skeat a umes an orig. initial h, and compares Gr. κνίδι κνίδη, a nettle, and E. nit1 (AS. hnitu ); but if there were an orig. initial h, it would appear in OHG. and AS., as in other cases.] 1. A herbaceous plant of the genus Urtica, armed with stinging hairs. U. dioica is the common, great, or stinging nettle, native in the northern Old World, natural ized in the United States and elsewhere. This plant is now somewhat cultivated in Germany for its fiber, which, properly dre ed, is fine and silky. The tender shoots are not unfrequently used as a pot-herb. This and the small nettle, urens, were formerly use as diuretics and astringents. The Roman nettle of southern Europe is U. pi lulifera. U. cannabin a of Siberia is locally utilized as a fiber-plant. Out of this nettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety. Shak., 1 Hen. IV., ii. 3. 10. The Earth doth not always produce Roses and Lilies, but she brings forth also Nettles and Thistles. Howell , Letters, I. vi. 57. 2. One of several plants of other genera of the nettle family ( Urticacea ); any nettle-like plant: generally with a qualifying word. - Chili nettle. See Loaseœ. False nettle, Bœhmeria cylindric a. [U.S.] In dock, out nettle. See dock1. - Neilgherry nettle, the East Indian Girardinia ( Urtica ) heterophylla. It yields a fine white and glo y strong fiber, locally important.Nettle broth, nettle porridge, a dish made with nettles cut early in the season before they show any flowers. Pepys , Diary, Feb. 27, I am whipp'd and scourged with rods, Nettled and stung with pismires, when I hear Of this vile politician, Bolingbroke. Beau . and Fl . , Phil aster, ii. 4. Nay, I know this nettles you now; but answer me, is it not true? B. Jonson , Poetaster, i. 1. She was not a little nettled at this my civility, which pa ed over her head. Steele , Lover, No. 7. I, tho' nettled that he seemed to slur With garrulous ease and oily courtesies Our formal compact, yet, not le , Went forth again with both my friends. nettle-cell (net'1-sel), n. thread-cell, one of the urticating organs of a nettle-fish; a enida or nematocyst. nettle-cloth (net'l-kloth), n. A thick cotton cloth which, when japanned, is used instead of leather for waist-belts, belts, vizors for caps, etc. nettle-creeper (net'l-krē " "pèr), n. Same as name. Urticaria. nettle-bird. nettle-springe (net'l-sprinj), n. The nettle- rash. Hall i well . [Prov. Eng.] nettle-stuff (net'l-stuf), n. Naut ., a thin twist of two or three yarns, laid up or twisted by hand, and rubbed smooth. It is used for ham- mock-clues and stops. nettle-tap (net'l-tap), n. A moth, Simaëthis fabric i an a . nettle-thread (net'l-thred), n. One of the stinging hairs of acalephs; a enidocil. neume 1. A tree of the ge