briar

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: bri=ar

CIDE DICTIONARY

briar, n. 

 Same as Brier.  [1913 Webster]

briar, n. [OE. brere, brer, AS. brēr, brær; cf. Ir. briar prickle, thorn, brier, pin, Gael. preas bush, brier, W. prys, prysg.].

•  A plant with a slender woody stem bearing stout prickles; especially, species of Rosa, Rubus, and Smilax.  [1913 Webster]
•  Fig.: Anything sharp or unpleasant to the feelings.  [1913 Webster]

  "The thorns and briers of reproof."  [1913 Webster]

Brier root, the root of the southern Smilax laurifolia and Smilax Walteri; -- used for tobacco pipes. See also 2nd brier. -- Cat brier, Green brier, several species of Smilax (Smilax rotundifolia, etc.) -- Sweet brier (Rosa rubiginosa). See Sweetbrier. -- Yellow brier, the Rosa Eglantina.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

briar, var. of BRIER(1).

briar, var. of BRIER(2).

THESAURUS

briar

adherent, adhesive, barnacle, bramble, brier, brier bush, bristle, bulldog, burr, bush, cactus, catchweed, cement, cleavers, decal, decalcomania, glue, goose grass, gunk, leech, limpet, molasses, mucilage, needle, nettle, paste, pine needle, plaster, prickle, quill, remora, scrub, shrub, shrubbery, spicule, spiculum, spike, spikelet, spine, sticker, syrup, thistle, thorn, yucca