Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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.
Melon \Mel"on\, n. [F., fr. L. melo, for melopepo an
apple-shaped melon, Gr. ?; ? apple + ? a species of large
melon; cf. L. malum apple. Cf. {Marmalade}.]
1. (Bot.) The juicy fruit of certain cucurbitaceous plants,
as the muskmelon, watermelon, and citron melon; also, the
plant that produces the fruit.
2. (Zo["o]l.) A large, ornamental, marine, univalve shell of
the genus {Melo}.
{Melon beetle} (Zo["o]l.), a small leaf beetle ({Diabrotiea
vittata}), which damages the leaves of melon vines.
{Melon cactus}, {Melon thistle}.
(a) (Bot.) A genus of cactaceous plants ({Melocactus})
having a fleshy and usually globose stem with the
surface divided into spiny longitudinal ridges, and
bearing at the top a prickly and woolly crown in which
the small pink flowers are half concealed. {M.
communis}, from the West Indies, is often cultivated,
and sometimes called {Turk's cap}.
(b) The related genus {Mamillaria}, in which the stem is
tubercled rather than ribbed, and the flowers
sometimes large. See Illust. under {Cactus}.