thistle
/θɪsl̩/ noun C1- Any of several perennial composite plants, especially of genera Cirsium, Carduus, Cynara, or Onopordum, having prickly leaves and showy flower heads with prickly bracts.
- This plant seen as the national emblem of Scotland.
- An image of this plant used as a charge.
- The Order of the Thistle, or membership thereof.
Plural thistles
From the library
I don’t believe a rose _would_ be as nice if it was called a thistle or a skunk cabbage.
Hardly knowing what she did, she picked up a little bit of stick, and held it out to the puppy; whereupon the puppy jumped into the air off all its feet at once, with a yelp of delight, and rushed at the stick, and made believe to worry it; then Alice dodged behind a great thistle, to keep herself from being run over; and the moment she appeared on the other side, the puppy made another rush at the stick, and tumbled head over heels in its hurry to get hold of it; then Alice, thinking it was very like having a game of play with a cart-horse, and expecting every moment to be trampled under its feet, ran round the thistle again; then the puppy began a series of short charges at the stick, running a very little way forwards each time and a long way back, and barking hoarsely all the while, till at last it sat down a good way off, panting, with its tongue hanging out of its mouth, and its great eyes half shut.
I suppose people of that kind serve some useful purpose in society, but I must say I don’t know what it is any more than I know the use of thistles.
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