thistle
/ˈθɪsəl/
noun
- A wild plant with sharp prickles on its leaves and stems, and usually a purple or pink flower head.
- Be careful walking through the field — the thistles can scratch your legs.
- A purple thistle bloomed brightly among the dry grass.
- The thistle is the national symbol of Scotland.
- Something that is prickly or troublesome; a source of irritation (figurative use).
- The broken zipper was a small thistle that ruined the whole trip.
- Her sharp comments were like thistles in an otherwise pleasant conversation.
- Dealing with all the paperwork was a thistle in his side.
Synonyms