Adjacent Words

globe thistle definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: any of various plants of the genus Echinops having prickly leaves and dense globose heads of bluish flowers

Merriam Webster's

noun Date: 1597 any of a genus (Echinops) of widely cultivated Asian and Mediterranean composite herbs with spiky globose blue or white flowers

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Thistle This"tle, n. [OE. thistil, AS. [thorn]istel; akin to D. & G. distel, OHG. distila, distil, Icel. [thorn]istill, Sw. tistel, Dan. tidsel; of uncertain origin.] (Bot.) Any one of several prickly composite plants, especially those of the genera Cnicus, Craduus, and Onopordon. The name is often also applied to other prickly plants. Blessed thistle, Carduus benedictus, so named because it was formerly considered an antidote to the bite of venomous creatures. Bull thistle, Cnicus lanceolatus, the common large thistle of neglected pastures. Canada thistle, Cnicus arvensis, a native of Europe, but introduced into the United States from Canada. Cotton thistle, Onopordon Acanthium. Fuller's thistle, the teasel. Globe thistle, Melon thistle, etc. See under Globe, Melon, etc. Pine thistle, Atractylis gummifera, a native of the Mediterranean region. A vicid gum resin flows from the involucre. Scotch thistle, either the cotton thistle, or the musk thistle, or the spear thistle; -- all used national emblems of Scotland. Sow thistle, Sonchus oleraceus. Spear thistle. Same as Bull thistle. Star thistle, a species of Centaurea. See Centaurea. Torch thistle, a candelabra-shaped plant of the genus Cereus. See Cereus. Yellow thistle, Cincus horridulus. Thistle bird (Zo["o]l.), the American goldfinch, or yellow-bird (Spinus tristis); -- so called on account of its feeding on the seeds of thistles. See Illust. under Goldfinch. Thistle butterfly (Zo["o]l.), a handsomely colored American butterfly (Vanessa cardui) whose larva feeds upon thistles; -- called also painted lady. Thistle cock (Zo["o]l.), the corn bunting (Emberiza militaria). [Prov. Eng.] Thistle crown, a gold coin of England of the reign of James I., worth four shillings. Thistle finch (Zo["o]l.), the goldfinch; -- so called from its fondness for thistle seeds. [Prov. Eng.] Thistle funnel, a funnel having a bulging body and flaring mouth.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Globe Globe, n. [L. globus, perh. akin to L. glomus a ball of yarn, and E. clump, golf: cf. F. globe.] 1. A round or spherical body, solid or hollow; a body whose surface is in every part equidistant from the center; a ball; a sphere. 2. Anything which is nearly spherical or globular in shape; as, the globe of the eye; the globe of a lamp. 3. The earth; the terraqueous ball; -- usually preceded by the definite article. --Locke. 4. A round model of the world; a spherical representation of the earth or heavens; as, a terrestrial or celestial globe; -- called also artificial globe. 5. A body of troops, or of men or animals, drawn up in a circle; -- a military formation used by the Romans, answering to the modern infantry square. Him round A globe of fiery seraphim inclosed. --Milton. Globe amaranth (Bot.), a plant of the genus Gomphrena (G. globosa), bearing round heads of variously colored flowers, which long retain color when gathered. Globe animalcule, a small, globular, locomotive organism (Volvox globator), once throught to be an animal, afterward supposed to be a colony of microscopic alg[ae]. Globe of compression (Mil.), a kind of mine producing a wide crater; -- called also overcharged mine. Globe daisy (Bot.), a plant or flower of the genus Globularing, common in Europe. The flowers are minute and form globular heads. Globe sight, a form of front sight placed on target rifles. Globe slater (Zo["o]l.), an isopod crustacean of the genus Spheroma. Globe thistle (Bot.), a thistlelike plant with the flowers in large globular heads (Cynara Scolymus); also, certain species of the related genus Echinops. Globe valve. (a) A ball valve. (b) A valve inclosed in a globular chamber. --Knight.