brier

brier
{{11}}brier (1) "thorny shrub, heath," 1540s, variant of M.E. brere, from O.E. brer (Anglian), brær (W.Saxon) "brier, bramble, prickly bush," of unknown origin. Briar is the most recent variant (c.1600). Originally used of prickly, thorny bushes in general, now mostly restricted to wild rose bushes. Used figuratively (in plural) for "troubles" from c.1500.
{{12}}brier (2) type of tobacco pipe introduced to England c.1859 made from the root of a certain shrub, 1868, from Fr. bruyère "heath plant," from O.Fr. bruiere "heather, briar, heathland, moor" (12c.), from Gallo-Romance *brucaria, from *brucus "heather," from Gaulish (Cf. Breton brug "heath," O.Ir. froech). Form altered in English by influence of BRIER (Cf. brier) (1).

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Brier — Tim Hortons Brier Tim Hortons 2005 Le Brier Tim Hortons, aussi connu sous le nom de Le Brier, est le championnat canadien annuel de curling masculin, sanctionné par l Association canadienne de curling (ACC). L évènement actuel porte le nom de son …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Brier — Bri er, Briar Bri ar (br[imac] [ e]r), n. [OE. brere, brer, AS. br[=e]r, br[ae]r; cf. Ir. briar prickle, thorn, brier, pin, Gael. preas bush, brier, W. prys, prysg.] 1. A plant with a slender woody stem bearing stout prickles; especially, species …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Brier — ist der Name folgender Personen: Bob Brier (* 1943), US amerikanischer Ägyptologe Kathy Brier (* 1975), US amerikanische Schauspielerin Markus Brier (* 1968), österreichischer Profigolfer Orte in den Vereinigten Staaten: Brier (Massachusetts)… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Brier — Brier, WA U.S. city in Washington Population (2000): 6383 Housing Units (2000): 2115 Land area (2000): 2.130056 sq. miles (5.516820 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 2.130056 sq. miles (5.516820 sq …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Brier, WA — U.S. city in Washington Population (2000): 6383 Housing Units (2000): 2115 Land area (2000): 2.130056 sq. miles (5.516820 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 2.130056 sq. miles (5.516820 sq. km) FIPS …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Brier — Bri er, n. 1. the white heath {Erica arborea}. RHUD. [PJC] 2. a smoking pipe made of the root of the brier[1]. Note: Brierroot seems to have been used formerly as a term meaning root of the {Smilax laurifolia} and is now defined as root of the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • brier — ● brier verbe transitif (mot dialectal, variante de broyer) Effectuer le briage brier [bʀije] v. tr. ÉTYM. 1180; forme normande de broyer. ❖ ♦ Techn. Écraser (la pâte à pain) avec la brie. ❖ DÉR. Brie, brié, brioche …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • brier — brier1 [brī′ər] n. [ME brere (with vowel change as in FRIAR < ME frere) < OE brer, brær] 1. any prickly or thorny bush, as a bramble or wild rose 2. a growth of such bushes 3. a twig of a brier briery adj. brier2 [brī′ər] …   English World dictionary

  • Brier — Briar or brier is a common name for a number of unrelated thicket forming thorny plants, including species in the genera Rosa , Rubus and Smilax .Briar or Brier may also refer to:;Sports * Tim Hortons Brier (or simply The Brier ), the Canadian… …   Wikipedia

  • brier — 1. n. (also briar) any prickly bush esp. of a wild rose. Phrases and idioms: brier rose dog rose. sweet brier a wild rose, Rosa eglanteria, with small fragrant leaves and flowers. Derivatives: briery adj. Etymology: OE braeligr, brer, of unkn.… …   Useful english dictionary

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