thorn

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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 In English it was eventually superseded by the digraph th.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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