1
- a herbaceous plant which has jagged leaves covered with stinging hairs荨麻。
1.1
- Genus Urtica, family Urticaceae: several species, in particular the Eurasian stinging nettle (U. dioica).荨麻属, 荨麻科：数种, 尤指欧亚大陆的狭叶荨麻（拉丁名U. dioica）。
1.2
- used in names of other plants of a similar appearance, e.g. dead-nettle［用于外观类似荨麻的其他植物名称中, 如dead-nettle］。
with obj.
1
- irritate or annoy (someone)惹怒, 使恼火, 使烦恼。
2
- archaic beat or sting (someone) with nettles〈古〉用荨麻鞭打（某人）; 用荨麻刺（某人）。
短语
grasp the nettle
- 见GRASP.
词源
Old English netle, netele, of Germanic origin: related to Dutch netel and German Nessel. The verb dates from late Middle English.