thornthorn /θɔːn $ θɔːrn/ ●○○ noun 
Word Origin
a long, low hedge of thorns3a thorn in somebody’s side someone or something that annoys you or causes problems for a long period of time: He’s been a thorn in the side of the party leadership for years.
Word OriginWORD ORIGINthorn
ExamplesOrigin:
Old EnglishEXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
word sets- Half a dozen thorns and two or three elders grew together above and below a bank.
- He reached through brambles lined with blood-drawing thorns thick as knives that cut through his shirt sleeves and trousers.
- I called across a tall thorn fence towards the shelter.
- Others carried head-bundles of leaves and grass for the sheep and goats now penned behind thorn fences beside the houses.
- The thorn trees crowned the edge of a little valley where ran a track as old as the land itself.
- Whether clipped into shape or left natural, barberry is a formidable barrier thanks to its dense foliage and profusion of thorns.
WORD SETS► Plants
Collocationsacacia, nounacorn, nounalmond, nounaloe vera, nounanemone, nounangelica, nounaniseed, nounannual, nounanther, nounapricot, nounaquatic, adjectivearboreal, adjectivearboretum, nounartichoke, nounash, nounasparagus, nounaspen, nounaspidistra, nounaubergine, nounavocado, nounbalsa, nounbalsam, nounbamboo, nounbark, nounbarley, nounbasil, nounbay, nounbay leaf, nounbean, nounbeech, nounbeet, nounbegonia, nounbelladonna, nounbetel, nounbiennial, adjectivebilberry, nounbindweed, nounbiotechnology, nounbirch, nounblackberry, nounblackcurrant, nounblackthorn, nounbloom, nounbloom, verbblossom, nounblossom, verbbluebell, nounblueberry, nounbole, nounboll, nounbotanical, adjectivebotanist, nounbotany, nounbougainvillea, nounbough, nounbox, nounbracken, nounbranch, nounbreadfruit, nounbriar, nounbrier, nounbroad bean, nounbroadleaved, adjectivebroccoli, nounbroom, nounBrussels sprout, nounbud, nounbud, verbbulb, nounbulrush, nounburr, nounbush, nounbusy Lizzie, nounbutter bean, nounbuttercup, nouncabbage, nouncacao, nouncactus, nouncalyx, nouncamellia, nouncanopy, nouncantaloup, nouncapsicum, nouncaraway, nouncarnation, nouncarrot, nouncashew, nouncassava, nouncatkin, nouncauliflower, nouncedar, nouncelery, nouncellulose, nounchard, nouncherry, nounchervil, nounchestnut, nounchickweed, nounchicory, nounChinese leaves, nounchives, nounchlorophyll, nounchokecherry, nounchrysanthemum, nouncilantro, nouncitron, nouncitronella, nouncitrus, nounclematis, nounclementine, nounclimber, nounclove, nounclover, nouncloverleaf, nouncoca, nouncocoa bean, nouncoconut, nouncoffee bean, nouncollard greens, nouncone, nounconifer, nounconker, nouncopper beech, nouncore, nouncoriander, nouncorn, nouncorncob, nouncornflower, nouncotton, nouncottonwood, nouncovert, nouncowslip, nouncrabgrass, nouncreep, verbcreeper, nouncress, nouncrocus, nouncrop, verbcross-fertilize, verbcultivate, verbcultivation, nouncumin, nouncutting, nouncyclamen, nouncypress, noundaffodil, noundahlia, noundaisy, noundamson, noundandelion, noundandelion clock, noundate, noundeadly nightshade, noundeciduous, adjectivedill, noundock, noundouble, adjectiveduckweed, nounDutch elm disease, nounelder, nounelderberry, nounelm, nounendive, nounetiolated, adjectiveeucalyptus, nounevergreen, adjectiveevergreen, nounfemale, adjectivefennel, nounfern, nounfertilize, verbfibre, nounfig leaf, nounfir, nounflax, nounflesh, nounfleshy, adjectiveflora, nounflower, verbfoliage, nounforget-me-not, nounfoxglove, nounfreesia, nounfrond, nounfruit, nounfruit, verbfuchsia, nounfungal, adjectivefungus, nounfurze, noungardenia, noungentian, noungeranium, noungerminate, verbginger, noungladiolus, noungooseberry, noungorse, noungourd, noungrape, noungrapefruit, noungrapevine, noungrass, noungrassy, adjectivegreen, adjectivegreen bean, noungreengage, noungreen onion, noungreen pepper, noungroundnut, nounguava, noungum, noungum tree, nounhardy, adjectiveharicot, nounhawthorn, nounhazel, nounhazelnut, nounheart, nounheath, nounheather, nounhedgerow, nounheliotrope, nounhemlock, nounhemp, nounherb, nounherbaceous, adjectivehibiscus, nounhickory, nounhip, nounholly, nounhollyhock, nounhoneysuckle, nounhorse chestnut, nounhorseradish, nounhuckleberry, nounhusk, nounhyacinth, nounhybrid, nouniris, nounivy, nounjasmine, nounJerusalem artichoke, nounjuniper, nounkale, nounkelp, nounkernel, nounkidney bean, nounkumquat, nounlaburnum, nounlarch, nounlaurel, nounlavender, nounleader, nounleaf, nounleaf mould, nounleek, nounlegume, nounlemon, nounlentil, nounlettuce, nounlichen, nounlilac, nounlily, nounlily of the valley, nounlima bean, nounlimb, nounlime, nounlinden, nounlinseed, nounlocoweed, nounlog, nounloganberry, nounlotus, nounlush, adjectivelychee, nounmagnolia, nounmahogany, nounmale, adjectivemallow, nounmandrake, nounmangrove, nounmaple, nounmarigold, nounmarrow, nounmay, nounmilkweed, nounmimosa, nounmint, nounmistletoe, nounmorning glory, nounmoss, nounmountain ash, nounmulberry, nounmustard, nounmycology, nounmyrrh, nounmyrtle, nounnarcissus, nounnasturtium, nounnative, adjectivenative, nounnaturalist, nounnectarine, nounneedle, nounnettle, nounnodal, adjectivenode, nounnodule, nounnut, nounnutshell, nounoak, nounoffshoot, nounoilseed rape, nounoleander, nounolive, nounorchard, nounorchid, nounosier, nounovary, nounovergrown, adjectiveovergrowth, nounox-eye, nounpalm, nounpalm tree, nounpampas grass, nounpansy, nounpapyrus, nounparasite, nounparasitic, adjectiveparsley, nounparsnip, nounpassionflower, nounpeach, nounpear, nounpeat, nounpecan, nounpeony, nounpeppermint, nounperennial, adjectiveperennial, nounperiwinkle, nounpersimmon, nounpetal, nounpetunia, nounphlox, nounphotosynthesis, nounpimento, nounpimpernel, nounpine, nounpineapple, nounpinewood, nounpink, nounpinto bean, nounpip, nounpippin, nounpistachio, nounpistil, nounpit, nounpitch pine, nounpith, nounplane, nounplane tree, nounplankton, nounplant, nounplant, verbplantain, nounplum, nounpod, nounpoinsettia, nounpoison ivy, nounpoison oak, nounpollen, nounpollen count, nounpollinate, verbpoplar, nounpoppy, nounpoppyseed, nounpotato, nounprickle, nounprickly, adjectiveprickly pear, nounprimrose, nounprimula, nounprivet, nounpropagate, verbpuffball, nounpulp, nounpussy willow, nounragweed, nounragwort, nounramble, verbrambler, nounrampant, adjectiverank, adjectiverape, nounraspberry, nounrattan, nounredcurrant, nounredwood, nounreed, nounreedy, adjectiveresin, nounrhizome, nounrhododendron, nounrhubarb, nounrice, nounrind, nounripe, adjectiveripen, verbroot, nounroot, verbrose, nounrosebud, nounrosemary, nounrubber plant, nounrunner, nounrunner bean, nounrush, nounsac, nounsagebrush, nounsandalwood, nounsap, nounsapling, nounsappy, adjectivesapwood, nounsassafras, nounsavory, nounscallion, nounscion, nounscrub, nounscrubby, adjectiveseaweed, nounsedge, nounseed, nounseed, verbseedling, nounsegment, nounsenna, nounsepal, nounsequoia, nounsesame, nounset, nounshallot, nounshamrock, nounshed, verbshoot, verbshoot, nounshrub, nounsilver birch, nounskin, nounsloe, nounsnapdragon, nounsnowdrop, nounsorghum, nounsorrel, nounsoya bean, nounspearmint, nounspinach, nounspiny, adjectivespore, nounsprig, nounspring onion, nounsprout, verbsprout, nounspruce, nounsquash, nounstalk, nounstamen, nounstem, nounstigma, nounstinging nettle, nounstock, nounstraw, nounstrawberry, nounstring bean, nounstump, nounsucculent, nounsucker, nounsugar, nounsugar beet, nounsugarcane, nounsunflower, nounswede, nounsweetcorn, nounsweet gum, nounsweet pea, nounsweet william, nounsycamore, nountamarind, nountangerine, nountaproot, nountea, nounteasel, nounteazel, nountendril, nounthistle, nounthistledown, nounthorn, nounthorny, adjectivethyme, nountimber, nountoadstool, nountop, nountrailing, adjectivetranspiration, nountranspire, verbtransplant, verbtree, nountreetop, nountrefoil, nountruffle, nountrunk, nountuber, nountulip, nountumbleweed, nounturnip, nountwig, noununderbrush, nounundergrowth, noununripe, adjectivevanilla, nounvariegated, adjectivevegetable, nounvegetation, nounvein, nounvetch, nounvine, nounviolet, nounvirginia creeper, nounwallflower, nounwalnut, nounwater chestnut, nounwatercress, nounwater lily, nounweed, nounwhorl, nounwild rice, nounwillow, nounwilt, verbwisteria, nounwither, verbwithered, adjectivewoody, adjectivewormwood, nounyam, nounyew, nounyucca, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN► bush
Phrases· It galloped towards the boy in silence, swinging a thorn bush from its arm.· He ended up in a thorn bush where he finally managed to break free from his billowing parachute.· A democratic committee of journalists? - a thorn bush for the editor to hide in.· Almost as bad as the thorn bush, Lollo said.· Together they made their way to the patch of thorn bushes which was Sabina's preferred place for drying.· Down below, fires are being lit and the cattle are being driven gently into the enclosures of thorn bushes.· Because if there's a thorn bush around, the ball will land in it.· There is the camel rider of Blunt in the glaring light and the thorn bushes clutching at him with their crooked hands.
► tree· The thorn trees crowned the edge of a little valley where ran a track as old as the land itself.· When the sun sets, its inhabitants bow down in unison amid their baobab and thorn trees toward Mecca to pray.· The old general store had gone but the shade thorn tree was still there, bewildered by its surround of concrete pavement.· At the first steep slope of Great Ararat they tethered their horses to a thorn tree and hobbled them.· Above them, tied to a thorn tree, faded red and white streamers dangle like the tattered carcasses of scrawny birds.· Then there was just a bank where rabbits obviously lived, topped with thorn trees.· Certainly thorn trees occur along leys, and planting is a way of establishing a mark with relatively little effort.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► a thorn in somebody’s side
1[countable] a sharp point that grows on the stem of a plant such as a rose2[countable, uncountable] a bush or tree that has thorns: - Gino was a thorn in their side.
- The man has been a thorn in our side since the day he arrived three weeks ago.
a long, low hedge of thorns3a thorn in somebody’s side someone or something that annoys you or causes problems for a long period of time: He’s been a thorn in the side of the party leadership for years.