from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Sow \Sow\, n. [OE. sowe, suwe, AS. sugu, akin to s[=u], D. zog,
zeug, OHG. s[=u], G. sau, Icel. s[=y]r, Dan. so, Sw. sugga,
so, L. sus. Gr. "y^s, sy^s, Zend. hu boar; probably from the
root seen in Skr. s[=u] to beget, to bear; the animal being
named in allusion to its fecundity. [root]294. Cf. {Hyena},
{Soil} to stain, {Son}, {Swine}.]
1. (Zool.) The female of swine, or of the hog kind.
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2. (Zool.) A sow bug.
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3. (Metal.)
(a) A channel or runner which receives the rows of molds
in the pig bed.
(b) The bar of metal which remains in such a runner.
(c) A mass of solidified metal in a furnace hearth; a
salamander.
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4. (Mil.) A kind of covered shed, formerly used by besiegers
in filling up and passing the ditch of a besieged place,
sapping and mining the wall, or the like. --Craig.
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{Sow bread}. (Bot.) See {Cyclamen}.
{Sow bug}, or {Sowbug} (Zool.), any one of numerous species
of terrestrial {Isopoda} belonging to {Oniscus},
{Porcellio}, and allied genera of the family {Oniscidae}.
They feed chiefly on decaying vegetable substances.
{Sow thistle} [AS. sugepistel] (Bot.), a composite plant
({Sonchus oleraceus}) said to be eaten by swine and some
other animals.
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from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
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.
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{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}.
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{Thistle bird} (Zool.), 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} (Zool.), a handsomely colored American
butterfly ({Vanessa cardui}) whose larva feeds upon
thistles; -- called also {painted lady}.
{Thistle cock} (Zool.), 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} (Zool.), the goldfinch; -- so called from its
fondness for thistle seeds. [Prov. Eng.]
{Thistle funnel}, a funnel having a bulging body and flaring
mouth.
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