nettle
/ˈnɛtəl/ noun, verb
Forms nettles nettling nettled
- noun Most, but not all, subspecies of Urtica dioica (common nettle),
- noun Urtica incisa (Australian nettle);
- noun wood nettle (Laportea canadensis);
- noun bull nettle, spurge nettle (Cnidoscolus stimulosus)
- noun Texas bull nettle (Cnidoscolus texanus),
- noun bull nettle (Cnidoscolus urens),
- noun Various species of the genus Dendrocnide:
- noun small-leaved nettle (Dendrocnide photinophylla).
- verb (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.”
- verb (transitive, figurative) To pique, irritate, vex or provoke.
Synonyms
urticate annoy rag get to bother get at irritate rile nark gravel vex chafe devil
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).
Webster’s 1913
- noun A plant of the genus Urtica, covered with minute sharp hairs containing a poison that produces a stinging sensation. Urtica gracitis is common in the Northern, and U. chamædryoides in the Southern, United States. the common European species, U. urens and U. dioica, are also found in the Eastern united States. U. pilulifera is the Roman nettle of England.
- verb To fret or sting; to irritate or vex; to cause to experience sensations of displeasure or uneasiness not amounting to violent anger.
Etymology [AS. netele; akin to D. netel, G. nessel, OHG. nezzïla, nazza, Dan. nelde, nälde, Sw. nässla; cf, Lith. notere.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “nettle”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details