thorn

thorn
thorn O.E. þorn "sharp point on a stem or branch," earlier "thorny tree or plant," from P.Gmc. *thurnuz (Cf. O.S. thorn, Du. doorn, O.H.G. dorn, Ger. Dorn, O.N. þorn, Goth. þaurnus), from PIE *trnus (Cf. O.C.S. trunu "thorn," Skt. trnam "blade of grass," Gk. ternax "stalk of the cactus," Ir. trainin "blade of grass"), from * (s)ter-n- "thorny plant," from root *ster- "stiff." Figurative sense of "anything which causes pain" is recorded from early 13c. (thorn in the flesh is from II Cor. xii.7). Also an Anglo-Saxon and Icelandic runic letter (þ), named for the word of which it was the initial.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Thorn — has several meanings:* Thorn, a sharp structure on plants * Thorn tree * Common hawthorn, Crataegus monogyna * Thorn (letter) (Þ, þ), a letter in the Anglo Saxon and Icelandic alphabets * Thorn (rune) (runic|ᚦ), the name of the th rune in the… …   Wikipedia

  • Thorn — als Ortsname: die ehemals preußische Stadt Thorn, heute Toruń in Polen, dazu Landkreis Thorn, preußisch deutscher Landkreis zwischen 1818 und 1945 Woiwodschaft Thorn ,1975–1998 Bistum Thorn, (lat.: Dioecesis Thoruniensis, poln.: Diecezja… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Thorn — Thorn, n. [AS. [thorn]orn; akin to OS. & OFries. thorn, D. doorn, G. dorn, Dan. torn, Sw. t[ o]rne, Icel. [thorn]orn, Goth. [thorn]a[ u]rnus; cf. Pol. tarn, Russ. tern the blackthorn, ternie thorns, Skr. t[.r][.n]a grass, blade of grass. [root]53 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Thorn — (poln. Torun), Stadt (Stadtkreis) im preuß. Regbez. Marienwerder, Festung ersten Ranges, an der Weichsel, über die hier eine 1000 m lange Eisenbahnbrücke führt, 35 m ü. M., hat alte, vom Deutschen Orden erbaute Ringmauern, 6 evangelische und 3… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • thorn´i|ly — thorn|y «THR nee», adjective, thorn|i|er, thorn|i|est. 1. full of thorns or spines; spiny; prickly: »He scratched his hands on the thorny bush …   Useful english dictionary

  • thorn|y — «THR nee», adjective, thorn|i|er, thorn|i|est. 1. full of thorns or spines; spiny; prickly: »He scratched his hands on the thorny bush …   Useful english dictionary

  • Thorn — Thorn, v. t. To prick, as with a thorn. [Poetic] [1913 Webster] I am the only rose of all the stock That never thorn d him. Tennyson. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • thorn — [thôrn] n. [ME < OE, akin to Ger dorn < IE * (s)ter , prickly plant (< base * ster , to be stiff) > Gr ternax, cactus stem] 1. a) a very short, hard, leafless branch or stem with a sharp point b) any small tree or shrub bearing thorns …   English World dictionary

  • thorn — [θo:n US θo:rn] n [: Old English;] 1.) a sharp point that grows on the stem of a plant such as a rose 2.) [U and C] a bush or tree that has thorns ▪ a long, low hedge of thorns 3.) a thorn in sb s side someone or something that annoys you or… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • thorn — ► NOUN 1) a stiff, sharp pointed woody projection on the stem or other part of a plant. 2) a thorny bush, shrub, or tree. 3) an Old English and Icelandic runic letter, þ or Þ, eventually superseded by th. ● a thorn in someone s side (or flesh) Cf …   English terms dictionary

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