Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Spear \Spear\, n. [OE. spere, AS. spere; akin to D. & G. speer,
   OS. & OHS. sper, Icel. spj["o]r, pl., Dan. sp[ae]r, L.
   sparus.]
   1. A long, pointed weapon, used in war and hunting, by
      thrusting or throwing; a weapon with a long shaft and a
      sharp head or blade; a lance.

   Note: [See Illust. of {Spearhead}.] ``A sharp ground spear.''
         --Chaucer.

               They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and
               their spears into pruning hooks.   --Micah iv. 3.

   2. Fig.: A spearman. --Sir W. Scott.

   3. A sharp-pointed instrument with barbs, used for stabbing
      fish and other animals.

   4. A shoot, as of grass; a spire.

   5. The feather of a horse. See {Feather}, n., 4.

   6. The rod to which the bucket, or plunger, of a pump is
      attached; a pump rod.

   {Spear foot}, the off hind foot of a horse.

   {Spear grass}. (Bot.)
      (a) The common reed. See {Reed}, n., 1.
      (b) meadow grass. See under {Meadow}.

   {Spear hand}, the hand in which a horseman holds a spear; the
      right hand. --Crabb.

   {Spear side}, the male line of a family. --Lowell.

   {Spear thistle} (Bot.), the common thistle ({Cnicus
      lanceolatus}).

Thistle \This"tle\, n. [OE. thistil, AS. [thorn]istel; akin to
   D. & G. distel, OHG. distila, distil, Icel. [thorn]istill,
   Sw. tistel, Dan. tidsel; of uncertain origin.] (Bot.)
   Any one of several prickly composite plants, especially those
   of the genera {Cnicus}, {Craduus}, and {Onopordon}. The name
   is often also applied to other prickly plants.

   {Blessed thistle}, {Carduus benedictus}, so named because it
      was formerly considered an antidote to the bite of
      venomous creatures.

   {Bull thistle}, {Cnicus lanceolatus}, the common large
      thistle of neglected pastures.

   {Canada thistle}, {Cnicus arvensis}, a native of Europe, but
      introduced into the United States from Canada.

   {Cotton thistle}, {Onopordon Acanthium}.

   {Fuller's thistle}, the teasel.

   {Globe thistle}, {Melon thistle}, etc. See under {Globe},
      {Melon}, etc.

   {Pine thistle}, {Atractylis gummifera}, a native of the
      Mediterranean region. A vicid gum resin flows from the
      involucre.

   {Scotch thistle}, either the cotton thistle, or the musk
      thistle, or the spear thistle; -- all used national
      emblems of Scotland.

   {Sow thistle}, {Sonchus oleraceus}.

   {Spear thistle}. Same as {Bull thistle}.

   {Star thistle}, a species of {Centaurea}. See {Centaurea}.

   {Torch thistle}, a candelabra-shaped plant of the genus
      Cereus. See {Cereus}.

   {Yellow thistle}, {Cincus horridulus}.

   {Thistle bird} (Zo["o]l.), the American goldfinch, or
      yellow-bird ({Spinus tristis}); -- so called on account of
      its feeding on the seeds of thistles. See Illust. under
      {Goldfinch}.

   {Thistle butterfly} (Zo["o]l.), a handsomely colored American
      butterfly ({Vanessa cardui}) whose larva feeds upon
      thistles; -- called also {painted lady}.

   {Thistle cock} (Zo["o]l.), the corn bunting ({Emberiza
      militaria}). [Prov. Eng.]

   {Thistle crown}, a gold coin of England of the reign of James
      I., worth four shillings.

   {Thistle finch} (Zo["o]l.), the goldfinch; -- so called from
      its fondness for thistle seeds. [Prov. Eng.]

   {Thistle funnel}, a funnel having a bulging body and flaring
      mouth.