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thorn
thorn / [unvoicedth]ôrn/ • n. 1. a stiff, sharp-pointed, straight or curved woody projection on the stem or other part of a plant. ∎ fig. a source of discomfort, annoyance, or difficulty; an irritation or an obstacle: the issue has become a thorn in renewing the peace talks. See also a thorn in someone's side below. 2. (also thorn bush or thorn tree) a thorny bush, shrub, or tree, esp. a hawthorn. 3. an Old English and Icelandic runic letter, Þ or þ, representing the dental fricatives / [voicedth]/ and / [unvoicedth]/ . In English it was eventually superseded by the digraph th. Compare with eth. PHRASES: a thorn in someone's side (or flesh) a source of continual annoyance or trouble: the pastor has long been a thorn in the side of the regime.DERIVATIVES: thorn·less adj. (in sense 1). thorn·proof / -ˌproōf/ adj. (in sense 1). |
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"thorn." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "thorn." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-thorn005.html "thorn." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-thorn005.html |
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THORN
THORN. The name of a runic LETTER and its manuscript and printed form þ, used in OLD ENGLISH and MIDDLE ENGLISH for voiced and voiceless th. In late medieval times, its form became similar to, and in some handwriting identical with, y, with the result that ye, yis, yat, etc., were used (well into modern times) as variants of the, this, that, etc.: the origin of ye for the in such phrases and names as Ye Olde Englishe Tea Shoppe (often facetiously pronounced ‘ye oldy Englishy tea shoppy’). See ETH, RUNE, T.
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TOM McARTHUR. "THORN." Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. TOM McARTHUR. "THORN." Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O29-THORN.html TOM McARTHUR. "THORN." Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language. 1998. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O29-THORN.html |
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thorn
thorn sharp-pointed process on a plant; thornbearing plant. OE. þorn = OS. thorn (Du. doorn), (O)HG. dorn, ON. þorn, Goth. þaurnus :- Gmc. þurnuz :- IE. *tṛnus, f. *tṛn- tern-, repr. also by OIr. tráinín small stalk of grass, OSl. trŭnŭ thorn, Skr. tṛ́ṇa- grass-stalk, Gr. térnax cactus prickle.
Hence thorny (-Y1) OE. þorniġ. |
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T. F. HOAD. "thorn." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "thorn." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-thorn.html T. F. HOAD. "thorn." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-thorn.html |
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Thorn
Thorn ♂ Short form of Thornton or transferred use of the surname (originally denoting someone who lived near a large thorn bush), or a direct adoption of the vocabulary word because of its association with natural hardiness. As a given name, this is recorded in England as early as the 16th century, but the modern name appears to have arisen in 19th-century America.
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PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Thorn." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Thorn." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Thorn.html PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Thorn." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Thorn.html |
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thorn
thorn sharp-pointed projection on some plants, usually protective in function. Botanically, thorns are distinguished as modified stems (as in the honey locust and hawthorn) from spines, which are modified leaves (as in the barberry), and from prickles, which are epidermal outgrowths of the bark (as in the rose and blackberry). Cacti have both thorns and spines. |
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"thorn." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "thorn." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-thorn.html "thorn." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-thorn.html |
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thorn
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"thorn." A Dictionary of Biology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "thorn." A Dictionary of Biology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O6-thorn.html "thorn." A Dictionary of Biology. 2004. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O6-thorn.html |
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thorn
thorn2 thorn in the flesh a constant affliction, a source of continual trouble and annoyance; often with biblical allusion to 2 Corinthians 12:7. The phrase thorn in the side is also frequently used.
See also crown of thorns, no rose without a thorn. |
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "thorn." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "thorn." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-thorn1.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "thorn." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-thorn1.html |
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thorn
thorn1 an Old English and Icelandic runic letter, þ or Þ. It was eventually superseded by the digraph th, but has been used as a phonetic symbol for the voiceless dental fricative.
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Cite this article
ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "thorn." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "thorn." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-thorn.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "thorn." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-thorn.html |
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thorn
thorn A woody, projecting structure with a sharp point that is derived from the leaf, stem, or branch of the plant and is connected to its vascular system.
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MICHAEL ALLABY. "thorn." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL ALLABY. "thorn." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O7-thorn.html MICHAEL ALLABY. "thorn." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O7-thorn.html |
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Thorn
Thorn / tôrn/ German name for Toruń. |
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"Thorn." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Thorn." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-thorn.html "Thorn." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-thorn.html |
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Thorn
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Cite this article
"Thorn." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Thorn." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-Thorn.html "Thorn." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-Thorn.html |
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thorn
thorn
•adorn, born, borne, bourn, Braun, brawn, corn, dawn, drawn, faun, fawn, forborne, forewarn, forlorn, freeborn, horn, lawn, lorn, morn, mourn, newborn, Norn, outworn, pawn, porn, prawn, Quorn, sawn, scorn, Sean, shorn, spawn, suborn, sworn, thorn, thrawn, torn, Vaughan, warn, withdrawn, worn, yawn
•airborne • Ayckbourn • seaborne
•Eastbourne • stillborn • highborn
•Osborne • winterbourne
•waterborne • firstborn • Apeldoorn
•althorn • hartshorn • leghorn
•greenhorn • bighorn • inkhorn
•tinhorn • foghorn • longhorn
•shorthorn • shoehorn • Flügelhorn
•bullhorn • alpenhorn • Matterhorn
•acorn • seedcorn • sweetcorn
•barleycorn • unicorn • Capricorn
•leprechaun • tricorne • einkorn
•popcorn • Runcorn • peppercorn
•lovelorn • frogspawn • wire-drawn
•wartorn • blackthorn • hawthorn
•careworn • time-worn • shopworn
•toilworn
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"thorn." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "thorn." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-thorn.html "thorn." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-thorn.html |
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