Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

   {Blazing star}, {Double star}, {Multiple star}, {Shooting
   star}, etc. See under {Blazing}, {Double}, etc.

   {Nebulous star} (Astron.), a small well-defined circular
      nebula, having a bright nucleus at its center like a star.
      

   {Star anise} (Bot.), any plant of the genus Illicium; -- so
      called from its star-shaped capsules.

   {Star apple} (Bot.), a tropical American tree ({Chrysophyllum
      Cainito}), having a milky juice and oblong leaves with a
      silky-golden pubescence beneath. It bears an applelike
      fruit, the carpels of which present a starlike figure when
      cut across. The name is extended to the whole genus of
      about sixty species, and the natural order
      ({Sapotace[ae]}) to which it belongs is called the
      Star-apple family.

   {Star conner}, one who cons, or studies, the stars; an
      astronomer or an astrologer. --Gascoigne.

   {Star coral} (Zo["o]l.), any one of numerous species of stony
      corals belonging to {Astr[ae]a}, {Orbicella}, and allied
      genera, in which the calicles are round or polygonal and
      contain conspicuous radiating septa.

   {Star cucumber}. (Bot.) See under {Cucumber}.

   {Star flower}. (Bot.)
      (a) A plant of the genus {Ornithogalum};
          star-of-Bethlehem.
      (b) See {Starwort}
      (b) .
      (c) An American plant of the genus {Trientalis}
          ({Trientalis Americana}). --Gray.

   {Star fort} (Fort.), a fort surrounded on the exterior with
      projecting angles; -- whence the name.

   {Star gauge} (Ordnance), a long rod, with adjustable points
      projecting radially at its end, for measuring the size of
      different parts of the bore of a gun.

   {Star grass}. (Bot.)
      (a) A small grasslike plant ({Hypoxis erecta}) having
          star-shaped yellow flowers.
      (b) The colicroot. See {Colicroot}.

   {Star hyacinth} (Bot.), a bulbous plant of the genus {Scilla}
      ({S. autumnalis}); -- called also {star-headed hyacinth}.
      

   {Star jelly} (Bot.), any one of several gelatinous plants
      ({Nostoc commune}, {N. edule}, etc.). See {Nostoc}.

   {Star lizard}. (Zo["o]l.) Same as {Stellion}.

   {Star-of-Bethlehem} (Bot.), a bulbous liliaceous plant
      ({Ornithogalum umbellatum}) having a small white starlike
      flower.

   {Star-of-the-earth} (Bot.), a plant of the genus {Plantago}
      ({P. coronopus}), growing upon the seashore.

   {Star polygon} (Geom.), a polygon whose sides cut each other
      so as to form a star-shaped figure.

   {Stars and Stripes}, a popular name for the flag of the
      United States, which consists of thirteen horizontal
      stripes, alternately red and white, and a union having, in
      a blue field, white stars to represent the several States,
      one for each.

            With the old flag, the true American flag, the
            Eagle, and the Stars and Stripes, waving over the
            chamber in which we sit.              --D. Webster.

   {Star showers}. See {Shooting star}, under {Shooting}.

   {Star thistle} (Bot.), an annual composite plant ({Centaurea
      solstitialis}) having the involucre armed with radiating
      spines.

   {Star wheel} (Mach.), a star-shaped disk, used as a kind of
      ratchet wheel, in repeating watches and the feed motions
      of some machines.

   {Star worm} (Zo["o]l.), a gephyrean.

   {Temporary star} (Astron.), a star which appears suddenly,
      shines for a period, and then nearly or quite disappears.
      These stars are supposed by some astronometers to be
      variable stars of long and undetermined periods.

   {Variable star} (Astron.), a star whose brilliancy varies
      periodically, generally with regularity, but sometimes
      irregularly; -- called {periodical star} when its changes
      occur at fixed periods.

   {Water star grass} (Bot.), an aquatic plant ({Schollera
      graminea}) with small yellow starlike blossoms.

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.