thornyadj.
/ˈθɔːni/, U.S. /ˈθɔrni/ 1.
a. Abounding in, characterized by, or consisting of thorns or spines; spiny, prickly.
ΚΠ
a1023 Wulfstan Homilies xlviii. 246 Gehega þine earan mid þornigum hege.
c1230 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 71 Ha makieð frommard hare nest. softe wið uten & þorni wið innen.
1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomew de Glanville De Proprietatibus Rerum (Bodl.) xviii. xix Þe Cameles mete is þorny and harde.
a1525 ( Coventry Leet Bk. (1908) II. 291 Weryng þe Thorny crowne yn worship of Jhesu.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Taming of Shrew (1623) Induct. ii. 56 Daphne roming through a thornie wood. View more context for this quotation
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Georgics iii, in tr. Virgil Wks. 110 On Shrubs they brouze, and..thorny Bramble crop. View more context for this quotation
1850 Ld. Tennyson In Memoriam lxvii. 94 I found a wood with thorny boughs. View more context for this quotation
b. Of an animal (or a part of one): Having thorn-like organs or appendages; spiny. See also Compounds 1.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > animal body > general parts > covering or skin > [adjective] > having a hard protective covering > having spines
pikeda1398
prickled1578
spinose1661
thorny1711
prickly1774
spinous1774
spined1777
spinaceous1875
1711 J. Petiver Gazophylacii VI. Table LX Sea Porcupine... This thorny Fish is a sort of Sea Hedge-hog.
1744 P. H. Zollman tr. in Philos. Trans. 1742–3 (Royal Soc.) 42 463 Those Caterpillars which, from the Figure and the Stiffness of their Hairs, have been called the Thorny ones.
1756 T. Amory Life John Buncle I. 246 The perch [with] the thorny fins on its back.
2. Abounding in thorn-bearing or prickly plants; overgrown with thorns or brambles. Also figurative. thorny ground, figurative after the parable of the sower, Matthew xiii. 7, etc. Often attributive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > part of plant > thorn or prickle > [adjective]
thornenc897
thornyc1000
armeda1398
pikeda1398
thornish1426
pricky1548
prickly1577
prickled1578
spiky1578
sharp-set1601
spiny1604
senticous1657
aculeous1658
spinous1668
spineal1688
spinose1693
aculeate1753
spinescent1793
aculeolate1818
aciculated1819
spinulose1819
spinulescent1836
spinulous1846
thorned1895
the world > the earth > land > landscape > fertile land or place > land with vegetation > [adjective] > specific plants
thornyc1000
daisieda1616
brackya1618
osiereda1759
brackeny1834
brackened1884
the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > disadvantage > uselessness > uselessness, vanity, or futility > [adjective] > useless or unproductive
fruitless1340
unfructuousc1380
unfruitous1382
unfruitfula1400
barren1549
blanka1556
effectless1594
issueless1611
infructuous1615
sterile1642
thorny ground1657
unproductivea1676
infructuose1727
resultless1832
irresultive1850
unresultive1850
unprocreant1851
c1000 Ælfric Homilies I. 342 Se yrðling lufað ðone æcer, ðe æfter ðornum..wæstmas agifð, swiðor þonne he lufige ðone ðe ðornig næs, ne wæstmbære ne bið.
c1325 Metr. Hom. 52 This gat es stany and thornye.
c1440 Gesta Romanorum (Harl.) viii. 19 Þe wey toward þe Cite was stony, þorny, and scroggy.
1595 W. Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 3 v. iv. 67 The thornie wood, Which..Shall with our swords yer night be cleane cut downe.
1657 J. Watts Scribe, Pharisee 93 I was a High~way side Hearer, a Thorny-ground Auditor.
1735 W. Somervile Chace i. 259 He..in the thorny Brake Torn and embarrass'd bleeds.
1799 M. Titherington Diary in Mem. 13 I am but too much a thorny-ground hearer.
1863 W. C. Baldwin Afr. Hunting vi. 150 There are lots of game here, and a nice thorny country.
3. figurative.
a. Pricking or piercing to the mind; full of points painful or wounding to the feelings; painful, distressing; harassing, vexatious, irritating.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > state of annoyance or vexation > [adjective] > annoying or vexatious
angeeOE
swinkfuleOE
plightlyOE
teenfulOE
contrariousc1320
drefa1325
troublinga1325
despitousa1340
thornya1340
discomfortablec1350
troublablec1374
noyousa1382
noyfulc1384
diseasy1387
angrya1393
painful1395
hackinga1400
annoying?c1400
annoyousc1400
cumbrousc1400
teenc1400
annoyfulc1405
sputousc1420
diseasefula1425
molest?a1425
noying?a1425
noisomea1450
grievingc1450
tedious?1454
troublous1463
noisantc1475
displeasant1481
strouble1488
nuisant1494
noyanta1500
irksome1513
sturting1513
molestious1524
vexatious1534
cumbersome1535
uncommodious1541
spiteful1548
vexing?1548
incommodious1551
molestous1555
diseasing1558
grating1563
pestilent1565
sturtsome1570
molestuousa1572
troublesome1573
murrain1575
discommodable1579
galling1583
spiny1586
unsupportable1586
troubleful1588
plaguey1594
distressingc1595
molestful1596
molesting1598
vexful1598
fretful1603
briery1604
bemadding1608
mortifying1611
tiry1611
distressfula1616
irking1629
angersome1649
disobliging1652
discomforting1654
incomfortable1655
incommode1672
ruffling1680
unconvenient1683
pestifying1716
trying1718
offending1726
bothering1765
pesky1775
weary1785
sturty1788
unaccommodating1790
tiresome1798
werriting1808
bothersome1817
plaguesome1828
pestilential1833
fretsome1834
languorous1834
pesty1834
pestersome1843
nettlesome1845
miserable1850
niggling1854
distempering1855
be-maddeninga1861
nattery1873
nagging1883
pestiferous1890
trouble-giving1893
maddening1896
molestive1905
nuisancy1906
balls-aching?1912
nuisance1922
nattering1949
noodgy1969
dickheaded1991
dickish1991
cockish1996
a1340 R. Rolle Psalter xvii. 36 All þe thorny & þe lairy besynes of þis warld.
a1586 Sir P. Sidney Arcadia (1593) iii. sig. Ii2 It was easily seene it was a very thorny abode he made there.
a1616 W. Shakespeare As you like It (1623) ii. vii. 94 The thorny point Of bare distresse, hath tane from me the shew Of smooth ciuility. View more context for this quotation
1728 E. Young Love of Fame: Universal Passion (ed. 2) v. 252 Thorny care, and rank and stinging hate.
1868 T. T. Lynch Rivulet (ed. 3) cxl. 172 That thorny cares may yield sweet fruits.
b. Full of points of contention or difficulty; difficult to handle; delicate, ticklish.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > difficulty > types of difficulty > [adjective] > difficult or delicate
fine-fingered1549
brickle1568
kittle1568
tickle1569
delicate1574
trickle1579
chary1581
ticklesome1585
ticklish1591
jealous1600
tender1625
nicea1630
thorny1653
parlous1657
tricksy1835
niggling1851
tricky1868
catchy1874
pernickety1884
trickish1900
fiddly1926
footery1929
1653 tr. S. Przypkowski Dissertatio de Pace x. 48 In these so subtil and thorny explications, if they..chance to erre, shall they presently be termed the enemies of God and Christ?
a1674 T. Traherne Christian Ethicks (1675) 25 Prudence is that knowledge, by which we guide our selves in Thorny and uncertain Affairs.
1793 E. Burke Corr. (1844) IV. 133 This American is an ugly and thorny affair.
1831 W. Scott Jrnl. 13 Mar. (1946) 150 I have finally arranged a thorny transaction.
1907 Athenæum 25 May 638/1 Several of the thorniest questions which have perplexed both ancient and modern logicians.
Compounds
C1.
a. In the names of species or varieties of plants, animals, or shells, characterized by having thorns or spines: prickly, spiny. (See also Compounds 2b.)
(a)
thorny acacia n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > trees and shrubs > non-British trees or shrubs > acacia trees > [noun]
acacia1542
babul1696
marblewood1753
black wattle1802
popinac1809
wattlec1810
wattle-treec1810
giraffe tree1815
haakdoring1822
hookthorn1822
kameeldoorn1822
camel-thorn1824
catechu-tree1829
silver wattle1832
blackthorn1833
thorny acacia1834
boobyalla1835
seyal1844
mulga1848
thorn-wood1850
hackthorn1857
mimosa1857
poison tree1857
Port Jackson1857
talha1857
golden wattle1859
whitethorn acacia1860
buffalo thorn1866
nelia1867
siris1874
cassie1876
couba1878
needlebush1884
sallow wattle1884
sally1884
giddea1885
prickly Moses1887
yarran1888
opopanax tree1889
wait-a-while1889
fever tree1893
giraffe acacia1896
stay-a-while1898
brigalow1901
wirra1904
cootamundra1909
Sydney golden wattle1909
witchetty bush1911
rooikrans1917
jam-tree1934
whistling thorn1949
blackthorn1966
1834 T. Pringle Afr. Sketches vii. 239 An open grassy meadow..bordered by willow trees and groves of the thorny acacia [A. horrida, Dornboom].
thorny asparagus n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular food plant or plant product > particular vegetables > [noun] > stalk vegetables > asparagus > types of
sprue1730
Bath asparagus1791
thorny asparagus1832
1832 E. Lankester Veg. Substances Food 187 The thorny asparagus,..beset with sharp spines.
thorny clam n.
thorny germander n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > according to family > labiate plant or plants > [noun] > germander plants
hindheala1300
ambrosea1350
wild sagea1400
germander?a1425
tetterwosea1500
English treacle1548
garlic-germander1548
scordium1548
wood-sage1571
garlic-sage1597
horse-chire1597
tree germander1597
mountain sage1659
marum1666
teucrium1673
mastic plant1718
thorny germander1822
bitter sage1865
1822 S. Clarke Hortus Anglicus II. 81 T[eucrium] Spinosum, Thorny Germander.
thorny lobster n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > animals for food > seafood > [noun] > lobster
lobstera1000
sea crayfishc1440
long oyster1622
red crab1674
crevis fish1688
crayfish1748
Norway lobster1777
Cape lobster1793
spiny lobster1819
langouste1832
thorny lobster1833
écrevisse1854
chicken lobster1871
homarine1880
Dublin prawn1911
langostino1915
scampi1928
langoustine1946
the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Crustacea > [noun] > subclass Malacostraca > division Thoracostraca > order Decapoda > suborder Macrura > member of family Palinuridae
sea-crayfish1601
long oyster1622
red crab1674
crevis fish1688
sea-crawfish1694
crayfish1748
spring lobster1789
Cape lobster1793
rock lobster1810
spiny lobster1819
langouste1832
thorny lobster1833
crayfish1853
kreef1863
langosta1924
1833 Encycl. Brit. VII. 502/1 The Palinurus vulgaris, or thorny lobster, sometimes also termed cray-fish.
thorny rest-harrow n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > trees and shrubs > thorn-tree or -bush > [noun] > rest-harrow
cammockc1000
ironhardOE
restelbowea1400
restharrow?1550
petty whin1551
gammock1578
ground furze1578
ground-furze1578
fin1649
cat whin1684
sitfast1808
thorny rest-harrow1822
land-whina1825
lady-whin1886
1822 S. Clarke Hortus Anglicus II. 233 O[nonis] Spinosa. Thorny Rest Harrow.
(b) † thorny mallow n. Obsolete the roselle, Hibiscus sabdariffa.
thorny apple n. = thorn-apple n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > according to family > Solanaceae (nightshade and allies) > [noun] > thorn-apple or brugmansia
thorn-apple1578
thorny apple1578
floripondio1604
stramonium1682
burn-weed1756
devil's apple1759
stinkweed1804
jimsonweed1812
Brugmansia1822
stramony1842
angel's trumpet1866
metel1887
mad-apple1892
1578 H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens Niewe Herball iii. lxxxvii. 441 The Names..Thornie apples, Prickle apples, and Stramonia.
thorny broom n. (a) the petty whin, Genista anglica, (b) the common whin, furze, or gorse.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > trees and shrubs > thorn-tree or -bush > [noun] > gorse or furze
gorsec725
furzec888
whinc1400
fur1440
quice tree1440
whin-bush1483
furzen bush1530
thorn-broom1578
thorny broom1597
fursell1639
dwarf furze1650
French furze1659
ulex1753
1597 J. Gerard Herball iii. 1140 This thorney Broome is taken for Theophrastus his Scorpius, which Gaza nameth Nepa.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > according to family > Malvaceae (mallows and allies) > [noun] > hibiscus plants
thorny mallow1597
Venice mallow1597
hibiscus1706
flower of an hour1818
mallow rose1840
roselle1840
sabdariffa1866
1597 J. Gerard Herball ii. 791 Sabdarifa. Thorney Mallowe.
thorny oyster n. = thorn oyster n. at thorn n. Compounds 2b.
thorny palm n. the prickly palm of the West Indies, Bactrio Plumierana.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > trees and shrubs > non-British trees or shrubs > palm trees > [noun] > other palms
prickly palm1666
thorny palm1666
palm1681
sagwire1681
wine-palm1681
prickle-palm1684
prickly pole1696
brab1698
palmyra1698
thatch-tree1756
double coconut1775
nibong1779
nipa1779
rhapis1789
cocorite1796
groo-groo1796
borassus1798
cohune1805
traveller's tree1809
tucum1810
gomuti1811
taliera1814
lontar1820
salak1820
ground-rattan1823
geonoma1824
tucuma1824
nikau1827
wax-palm1830
murumuru1834
piassava1835
traveller's palm1850
bangalow1851
inajá palm1853
jacitara1853
peach palm1853
pupunha palm1853
jipijapa1858
urucuri1860
climbing palm1863
sea-apple1864
Alexandra palm1865
coquito1866
thatch1866
thatch-palm1866
açai1868
walking-stick palm1869
kentia1870
toquilla1877
Guadalupe palm1895
tortoiseshell palm1902
pimpler1909
1666 J. Davies tr. C. de Rochefort Hist. Caribby-Islands 35 The Prickly or Thorny-Palm, having that name from the prickliness of it.
thorny trefoil n. a thorny shrub of the Mediterranean region, Fagonia Cretica.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > trees and shrubs > thorn-tree or -bush > [noun] > non-British varieties
fingrigo1707
cockspura1726
thorny trefoil1760
narra1779
driedoring1824
wild Irishman1850
matagouric1857
tumata-kuru1859
Irishman1860
Jerusalem thorn1866
nabk1874
ilb1894
1760 J. Lee Introd. Bot. App. 353/1 Thorny Trefoil, of Candia, Fagonia.
thorny woodcock n. a shell of the Indian Ocean, Murex tenuispina, with long thin closely-set spines.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > invertebrates > subkingdom Metazoa > grade Triploblastica or Coelomata > class Gastropoda > [noun] > superorder Branchifera > order Prosobranchiata > section Siphonostomata > family Muricidae > specific species of Murex
snipe-bill1713
snipe's-head1842
thorny woodcock1842
Venus comb1842
sea-purple1855
snipe-shell1889
1842 Penny Cycl. XXII. 55/1 Murex Tribulus (Common Thorny Woodcock).
b. In other collocations.† thorny marrow n. Obsolete the spinal marrow.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > structural parts > bone or bones > spine > [noun] > marrow of
marrowa1398
medulla?a1425
spinal marrow1578
pith1594
chine-marrow1661
thorny marrow1662
1662 J. Chandler tr. J. B. van Helmont Oriatrike 195 It is made motive in the thorny marrow or Spina Medullæ.
C2.
a. Combinations, as thorny-edged, thorny-pointed, thorny-pricking, thorny-thin, thorny-twining adjs.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > pain > types of pain > [adjective] > pricking or tingling
pricking1483
tingling1543
thorny-pricking1594
dindling1597
punctory1661
punctious1688
prickly1749
tingly1862
pringling1896
the world > space > shape > fact or condition of tapering > condition of tapering to a point > [adjective] > having (a) point(s)
piked?a1300
pickedc1450
needle-pointed1565
thorny-pointed1594
long-nebbed1649
fitchy1650
cuspidated1668
spit-pointed1796
pin-pointed1859
needlenose1911
1594 T. Kyd tr. R. Garnier Cornelia ii. 269 Whose loftie Towers (like thorny~pointed speares).
1596 Raigne of Edward III sig. A4v Feruent desire..Is farre more thornie pricking than this blade. View more context for this quotation
1705 J. Petiver in Philos. Trans. 1704–05 (Royal Soc.) 24 1952 The Thorny-edged Carolina Crab.
1735 W. Somervile Chace ii. 166 The thorny-twining Hedge.
1885 Hel. G. Cone in Atlantic Monthly Apr. 451 What lifeless laughter, crackling thorny-thin?
b. Special combinations.
thorny-back n. (a) the thornback; (b) the stickleback; (c) the river perch.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > fish > subclass Elasmobranchii > order Hypotremata > [noun] > family Rajidae > raia clavata (thornback)
thornbackc1300
maid1569
fork-fish1601
rock ray1611
maid-fish1665
thorn-but1668
thorny-back1811
roker1860
thornback ray1862
the world > food and drink > food > animals for food > seafood > [noun] > fish > skate
thornbackc1300
skatec1340
thorn-but1668
thorny-back1811
thornback ray1862
the world > animals > fish > superorder Acanthopterygii (spiny fins) > order Perciformes (perches) > order Gasterosteiformes (sticklebacks) > [noun] > family Gasterosteidae > member of (stickleback)
sticklinga1400
stitlingc1425
sticklebacka1475
shaftling1558
sharpling1558
stansticklea1637
hackle1655
pricklefish1668
prickling1668
jack sharp?1758
tittlebat1781
Jack Sharpnails1787
thorny-back1811
struttle1821
bandie1825
tinker1833
thornback1859
tiddler1885
1811 P. Neill in Mem. Wernerian Nat. Hist. Soc. 1 553 Raia..clavata, Thornback, thorny-back.
1869 Chater's Tyneside Alm. 13 (E.D.D.) Here may be fund the thorney-back, the Poheed an' Tommy Lodjor.
thorny devil n. = Moloch n. 3.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > reptiles > order Squamata (lizards and snakes) > suborder Lacertilia (lizards) > [noun] > family Agamidae (dragon lizards) > moloch horridus (thorny devil)
Moloch1841
mountain devil1870
thorny devil1899
1899 Strand Mag. June 653 The Western Australians..describe it [sc. the moloch lizard] familiarly as the ‘thorny devil’.
1932 Discovery Nov. 364/2 The Thorny Devil,..a sturdy creature about a foot long, covered with horny spikes and knobs, killed a puff adder with its tail.
1975 H. G. Coggar Reptiles & Amphibians Austral. 226/1 Thorny devil or Moloch... An unmistakable lizard, unique in scalation and form.
thorny-ribs n. (see quot.).
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > invertebrates > subkingdom Metazoa > grade Triploblastica or Coelomata > class Gastropoda > [noun] > superorder Branchifera > order Prosobranchiata > section Siphonostomata > family Muricidae > unspecified species of Murex
thorny-ribs?1711
woodcock1815
?1711 J. Petiver Gazophylacii VII.–VIII. Table 78 Limington Thorney-ribs... A sort of Fossil Murex.
thorny-shell n. a univalve mollusc, Voluta spinosa.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > invertebrates > subkingdom Metazoa > grade Triploblastica or Coelomata > class Gastropoda > [noun] > superorder Branchifera > order Prosobranchiata > section Siphonostomata > family Volutidae > member of genus Voluta
thorny-shell1713
volute1753
1713 J. Petiver Aquatilium Animalium Amboinæ Tab. iii Voluta spinosa..River Thorney-shell.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1912; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.c1000