Nettle

Nettle , noun

[Anglo-Saxon netele; akin to Dutch netel, German nessel, Old High German nezzila, nazza, Danish nelde, nalde, Swedish nassla; cf, Lithuanian notere.]

(Botany) A plant of the genus Urtica, covered with minute sharp hairs containing a poison that produces a stinging sensation. Urtica gracilis is common in the Northern, and Urtica chamaedryoides in the Southern, United States. The common European species, Urtica urens and Urtica dioica, are also found in the Eastern united States. Urtica pilulifera is the Roman nettle of England.

The term nettle has been given to many plants related to, or to some way resembling, the true nettle; as: Australian nettle, a stinging tree or shrub of the genus Laportea (as Laportea gigas and Laportea moroides); -- also called nettle tree. -- Bee nettle, Hemp nettle, a species of Galeopsis. See under Hemp. -- Blind nettle, Dead nettle, a harmless species of Lamium. -- False nettle (Baehmeria cylindrica), a plant common in the United States, and related to the true nettles. -- Hedge nettle, a species of Stachys. See under Hedge. -- Horse nettle (Solanum Carolinense). See under Horse. -- nettle tree. (a) Same as Hackberry. (b) See Australian nettle (above). -- Spurge nettle, a stinging American herb of the Spurge family (Jatropha urens). -- Wood nettle, a plant (Laportea Canadensis) which stings severely, and is related to the true nettles.

Collocations (3)

Nettle cloth , a kind of thick cotton stuff, japanned, and used as a substitute for leather for various purposes.

Nettle rash (Medicine) , an eruptive disease resembling the effects of whipping with nettles.

Sea nettle (Zoology) , a medusa.

Nettle , transitive verb

To fret or sting; to irritate or vex; to cause to experience sensations of displeasure or uneasiness not amounting to violent anger.

The princes were so nettled at the scandal of this affront, that every man took it to himself. — L'Estrange