briar

{ } n. [ OE. brere, brer, AS. brēr, brær; 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Fig.: Anything sharp or unpleasant to the feelings. [ 1913 Webster ]

The thorns and briers of reproof. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

Brier root, the root of the southern Smilax laurifolia and Smilax Walteri; -- used for tobacco pipes. See also 2nd brier. --
Cat brier,
Green brier, several species of Smilax (Smilax rotundifolia, etc.) --
Sweet brier (Rosa rubiginosa). See Sweetbrier. --
Yellow brier, the Rosa Eglantina. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. an old French breed of large strong usually black dogs having a long tail and long wavy and slightly stiff coat. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ L. Briareius, fr. Briareus a mythological hundred-handed giant, Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; strong. ] Pertaining to, or resembling, Briareus, a giant fabled to have a hundred hands; hence, hundred-handed or many-handed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. the hard woody root of the briar Erica arborea. [ Also spelled brierroot. ] [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. wood from the hard woody root of the briar Erica arborea; used to make tobacco pipes.
Syn. -- brierwood. [ WordNet 1.5 ]