Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
brier
10 dictionary results for: Brier
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
bri·er1       [brahy-er] Pronunciation Key
–noun
1.a prickly plant or shrub, esp. the sweetbrier or a greenbrier.
2.a tangled mass of prickly plants.
3.a thorny stem or twig.
Also, briar.


[Origin: bef. 1000; ME brer, OE brǣr, brér; akin to bramble]

bri·er·y, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
bri·er2       [brahy-er] Pronunciation Key
–noun
1.the white heath, Erica arborea, of France and Corsica, the woody root of which is used for making tobacco pipes.
2.a pipe made of brierroot.
Also, briar.


[Origin: 1865–70; earlier bruyer < F bruyère, OF < Gallo-Latin *brūcāria field of heather, equiv to *brūc- heather (< Gaulish, perh. *broiko- (with early L change of oi > ū) < Celtic *wroiko- > OIr froech, Welsh grug) + L -āria -ary; cf. early ML brucus, brugaria; see -er2, -ar2]
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
bri·er3       [brahy-er] Pronunciation Key
–noun Usually Disparaging.
(chiefly in Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee) a rustic or hillbilly, esp. one from Appalachia.

[Origin: shortening of brier hopper]
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
bri·ar 1 also bri·er       (brī'ər)  Pronunciation Key 
n.  
  1. A Mediterranean shrub or small tree (Erica arborea) whose hard, woody roots are used to make tobacco pipes.
  2. A pipe made from the root of this plant or from a similar wood.


[French bruyère, heath, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *brūcāria, from Late Latin brūcus, heather, of Celtic origin; see wer-2 in Indo-European roots.]

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
bri·er 1 also bri·ar       (brī'ər)  Pronunciation Key 
n.   Any of several prickly plants, such as certain rosebushes or the greenbrier.


[Middle English brer, from Old English brēr.]

bri'er·y adj.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
bri·er 2       (brī'ər)  Pronunciation Key 
n.   Variant of briar1.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
brier

noun
1. tangled mass of prickly plants 
2. a thorny stem or twig 
3. Eurasian rose with prickly stems and fragrant leaves and bright pink flowers followed by scarlet hips [syn: sweetbrier
4. a very prickly woody vine of the eastern United States growing in tangled masses having tough round stems with shiny leathery leaves and small greenish flowers followed by clusters of inedible shiny black berries [syn: bullbrier
5. evergreen treelike Mediterranean shrub having fragrant white flowers in large terminal panicles and hard woody roots used to make tobacco pipes [syn: tree heath

U.S. Gazetteer - Cite This Source - Share This

Brier Hill, NY Zip code(s): 13614

Brier, WA (city, FIPS 7940) Location: 47.79250 N, 122.27169 W
Population (1990): 5633 (1822 housing units)
Area: 5.5 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 98036

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Brier

Bri"er\, Briar \Bri"ar\, n. [OE. brere, brer, AS. br[=e]r, br[ae]r; cf. Ir. briar prickle, thorn, brier, pin, Gael. preas bush, brier, W. prys, prysg.]

1. A plant with a slender woody stem bearing stout prickles; especially, species of Rosa, Rubus, and Smilax.

2. Fig.: Anything sharp or unpleasant to the feelings.

The thorns and briers of reproof. --Cowper.

Brier root, the root of the southern Smilax laurifolia and S. Walteri; -- used for tobacco pipes.

Cat brier, Green brier, several species of Smilax (S. rotundifolia, etc.)

Sweet brier (Rosa rubiginosa). See Sweetbrier.

Yellow brier, the Rosa Eglantina.

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Brier

This word occurs frequently, and is the translation of several different terms. (1.) Micah 7:4, it denotes a species of thorn shrub used for hedges. In Prov. 15:19 the word is rendered "thorn" (Heb. _hedek_, "stinging"), supposed by some to be what is called the "apple of Sodom" (q.v.). (2.) Ezek. 28:24, _sallon'_, properly a "prickle," such as is found on the shoots of the palm tree. (3.) Isa. 55:13, probably simply a thorny bush. Some, following the Vulgate Version, regard it as the "nettle." (4.) Isa. 5:6; 7:23-25, etc., frequently used to denote thorny shrubs in general. In 10:17; 27:4, it means troublesome men. (5.) In Heb. 6:8 the Greek word (tribolos) so rendered means "three-pronged," and denotes the land caltrop, a low throny shrub resembling in its spikes the military "crow-foot." Comp. Matt. 7:16, "thistle."

Share This:Share This: digg.comShare This: ma.gnolia.comShare This: www.stumbleupon.comShare This: del.icio.usShare This: FacebookShare This: favorites.live.comShare This: www.technorati.comShare This: furl.netShare This: myweb2.search.yahoo.comShare This: www.google.com