crown of thorns

crown of thorns
noun
1. somewhat climbing bushy spurge of Madagascar having long woody spiny stems with few leaves and flowers with scarlet bracts
• Hypernyms: ↑spurge
• Member Holonyms: ↑Euphorbia, ↑genus Euphorbia
2. any affliction that causes great suffering
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that is his cross to bear

-

he bears his afflictions like a crown of thorns

• Syn: ↑cross
• Derivationally related forms: ↑cross (for: ↑cross)
• Hypernyms: ↑affliction
3. a mock crown made of thorn branches that Roman soldiers placed on Jesus before the Crucifixion
• Hypernyms: ↑crown

* * *

I.
1. [so called from the wreath placed on Jesus' head by Roman soldiers who mocked him as “King of the Jews” prior to his crucifixion] : a severe infliction : unmerited injury
2.
a. : a somewhat climbing bushy spurge (Euphorbia milii) of Madagascar that has long thick woody stems covered with stout spines, few leaves mostly restricted to the new growth, and flowers subtended by brilliant scarlet bracts and that is sometimes cultivated in the greenhouse
II. or crown-of-thorns starfish
: a starfish (Acanthaster planci) of the Pacific region that is covered with long spines and feeds on coral polyps sometimes causing destruction of coral reefs

* * *

1. a climbing spurge, Euphorbia milii splendens, of Madagascar, having stems covered with spines.
2. See crown of thorns starfish.
3. a painful burden, as of suffering, guilt, anxiety, etc.: from the wreath of thorns placed on Jesus' head to mock Him before He was crucified. Matt. 27:29; Mark 15:17; John 19:2, 5.
[bef. 950; ME; OE]

* * *

crown of thorns noun
1. A starfish that preys on living coral
2. A thorny Madagascan shrub (Euphorbia splendens) with red flowers and slender thorns
• • •
Main Entry: ↑crown

* * *

crown of thorns,
1. a climbing species of spurge, having long stems covered with cactus-like spines.
2. = crown-of-thorns starfish. (Cf. ↑crown-of-thorns starfish)

* * *

n.
1) (also crown-of-thorns-starfish) a large spiky starfish of the tropical Indo-Pacific, feeding on coral and sometimes causing great damage to reefs. ● Acanthaster planci, class Asteroidea
2) a Madagascan shrub of the spurge family, with bright red flowers and many slender thorns. It is a popular houseplant and is sometimes used for hedges in the tropics. ● Euphorbia milii, family Euphorbiaceae
■ any of a number of other thorny plants, esp. Christ's thorn
•
Origin:
by association with Christ's crown of thorns

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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  • Crown of Thorns — • Mentioned by three Evangelists and is often alluded to by the early Christian Fathers, such as Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and others, but there are comparatively few writers of the first six centuries who speak of it as a relic known to be… …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • crown of thorns — n. 1. a coral eating starfish (Acanthaster planci) of the tropical Pacific region, having arms covered with long spines: also crown of thorns starfish or crown of thorns 2. a shrub (Euphorbia milii) of the spurge family, having long spines and… …   English World dictionary

  • crown of thorns — crown′ of thorns′ n. 1) pln a climbing spurge, Euphorbia milii splendens, of Madagascar, having spiny stems and flowers with petallike red bracts 2) ivt Also, crown′ of thorns′. a starfish, Acanthaster planci that feeds on living coral polyps,… …   From formal English to slang

  • crown-of-thorns — (kroun əv thôrnzʹ) n. 1. A trailing or climbing spiny shrub (Euphorbia milii) native to Madagascar and cultivated as a houseplant, having showy flower clusters with usually red, petallike bracts. 2. The Christ s thorn. * * * …   Universalium

  • Crown of Thorns — For other uses, see Crown of Thorns (disambiguation). Jesus Carrying the Cross as portrayed by El Greco 1580 …   Wikipedia

  • Crown of Thorns — The Crown Gründung 1990 als Crown of Thorns 1998 als The Crown Auflösung 2004 Genre Thrash Metal, Death Metal Gründungsmitglieder Gesang Johan Lindstrand (bis 2001, ab 2002) Gitarre …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • crown of thorns — 1. a climbing spurge, Euphorbia milii splendens, of Madagascar, having stems covered with spines. 2. See crown of thorns starfish. 3. a painful burden, as of suffering, guilt, anxiety, etc.: from the wreath of thorns placed on Jesus head to mock… …   Universalium

  • crown of thorns — Date: 1964 a starfish (Acanthaster planci) of the Pacific region that is covered with long spines and feeds on coral polyps sometimes causing destruction of coral reefs called also crown of thorns starfish …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • crown-of-thorns — dygliuotoji karpažolė statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Karpažolinių šeimos dekoratyvinis nuodingas augalas (Euphorbia milii), paplitęs Madagaskare. atitikmenys: lot. Euphorbia milii angl. Christ s plant; Christ s thorn; crown of thorns isp.… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • Crown-of-thorns starfish — On a reef in Fiji, 2005. Scientific classification Kingdom …   Wikipedia

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