nettle

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English

Urtica dioica
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Etymology

From Middle English netle, netel, from Old English netle, netele, netel, from Proto-West Germanic *natilā (cognate with Old Saxon netila, Middle Dutch netele (modern Dutch netel), German Nessel, Middle Danish nædlæ (nettle)), a diminutive of Proto-Germanic *natǭ (of unknown origin, perhaps from the same source as net).

Pronunciation

Noun

nettle (plural nettles)

  1. Any plant whose foliage is covered with stinging, mildly poisonous hairs, causing an instant rash.
    1. Especially, most species of herb genus Urtica, stinging nettles:
      1. Most, but not all, subspecies of Urtica dioica (common nettle),
      2. Urtica incisa (Australian nettle);
    2. Wood nettle (Laportea canadensis);
    3. Bull nettles and spurge nettles (Cnidoscolus spp.):
      1. Cnidoscolus stimulosus, bull nettle, spurge nettle,
      2. Cnidoscolus texanus, Texas bull nettle,
      3. Cnidoscolus urens, bull nettle,
      4. Nettle trees or tree nettles:
        1. Various species of the genus Dendrocnide:
        2. Urera baccifera (scratchbush),
        3. Urtica ferox (tree nettle);
    4. rock nettle (Eucnide spp.);
    5. small-leaved nettle (Dendrocnide photinophylla).
  2. Certain plants that have spines or prickles:
    1. ball nettle (Solanum carolinense);
    2. Solanum elaeagnifolium, bull nettle, silver-leaf nettle, white horse-nettle;
    3. Solanum dimidiatum, western horse-nettle, robust horse-nettle;
    4. Solanum rostratum, horse-nettle;
    5. Celtis (hackberry).
  3. Certain non-stinging plants, mostly in the family Lamiaceae, that resemble the species of Urtica:
    1. dead nettle, dumb nettle (Lamium spp.), particularly Lamium album, white nettle;
    2. false nettle (Boehmeria spp., family Urticaceae);
    3. flame nettle or painted nettle (Coleus spp.);
    4. hedge nettle (Stachys spp.);
    5. hemp nettle (Galeopsis spp.);
    6. horse nettle Agastache urticifolia,
    7. nilgiri nettle, Himalayan giant nettle (Girardinia diversifolia, family Urticaceae).
  4. Loosely, anything which causes a similarly stinging rash, such as a jellyfish or sea nettle.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

nettle (third-person singular simple present nettles, present participle nettling, simple past and past participle nettled)

  1. (transitive) Of the nettle plant and similar physical causes, to sting, causing a rash in someone.
    The children were badly nettled after playing in the field.
  2. (transitive, figurative) To pique, irritate, vex or provoke.
    • 1658, Thomas Browne, “The Garden of Cyrus. . Chapter II.”, in Hydriotaphia, Urne-buriall, Together with The Garden of Cyrus, , London: Hen Brome , →OCLC, pages 110–111:
      his is no lavv unto the vvoof of the neat Retiarie Spider, vvhich ſeems to vveave vvithout tranſverſion, and by the union of right lines to make out a continued ſurface, vvhich is beyond the common art of Textury, and may ſtill nettle Minerva the Godeſſe of that myſtery.
    • 1679 April 6 (date licensed; Gregorian calendar), A Behn, The Feign‘d Curtizans, or, A Nights Intrigue. A Comedy. , London: Jacob Tonson , published 1679, →OCLC, Act V, scene i, page 59:
      His Miſtreſs: vvhoſe Miſtreſs, vvhat Miſtreſs; s'life hovv that little vvord has nettled me!
    • 1741, , “Letter XXXI”, in Pamela: Or, Virtue Rewarded. , 3rd edition, volume I, London: C Rivington, ; and J. Osborn, , →OCLC:
      I saw Mr. Williams was a little nettled at my Impatience
    • 1985, United States, Daily Report: People's Republic of China, numbers 180-189, Foreign Broadcast Information Service, page 42:
      Liu, whose political writings had nettled the Taiwanese authorities, was assassinated on October 15, last year, in Daly City

Translations

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Anagrams