thorn
/θɔːn/noun
1
- a stiff, sharp-pointed, straight or curved woody projection on the stem or other part of a plant（植物的）刺, 棘刺。
1.1
- figurative a source of discomfort, annoyance, or difficulty; an irritation or an obstacle〈喻〉使人苦恼（或生气）的事（或人）, 棘手的东西, 障碍：
the issue has become a thorn in renewing the peace talks.
在恢复和谈方面这个问题成了个障碍。参见后面a thorn in someone's side.
2
- （亦作thorn bush 或thorn tree）a thorny bush, shrub, or tree, especially a hawthorn带刺小灌木; 荆棘; 山楂树。
3
- an Old English and Icelandic runic letter, or , representing the dental fricatives /ð/ and /θ/. It was eventually superseded by the digraph th.刺形符（古英语和冰岛语中使用的北欧字母 或 , 表示齿擦音/ð/和/θ/,最终由二合字母"th"所取代）。比较ETH.
- ORIGIN: so named from the word of which it was the first letter.
4
- a yellowish-brown woodland moth which rests with the wings raised over the back, with twig-like caterpillars霜尺蛾。
4.1
- Ennomos and other genera, family Geometridae.霜尺蛾属及其他属, 尺蛾科。
短语
on thorns
- continuously uneasy, especially in fear of being detected焦虑不安, 如坐针毡（尤指担心被察觉）。
there is no rose without a thorn
- proverb every apparently desirable situation has its share of trouble or difficulty〈谚〉没有无刺的玫瑰; 世上没有十全十美的事; 有乐必有苦。
a thorn in someone's side（或flesh）
- a source of continual annoyance or trouble经常使人苦恼（或生气）的事（或人）：
the pastor has long been a thorn in the side of the regime.
这个牧师长期以来一直是这个政权的眼中钉。
派生词
thornless
adjective （限义项1）thornproof
adjective （限义项1）词源
Old English， of Germanic origin; related to Dutch doorn and German Dorn.