teasel
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About Our Definitions: All forms of a word (noun, verb, etc.) are now displayed on one page.1tea·sel
noun \ˈtē-zəl\Definition of TEASEL
1
a : an Old World prickly herb (Dipsacus fullonum of the family Dipsacaceae, the teasel family) with flower heads that are covered with stiff hooked bracts and were used especially formerly in the woolen industry —called also fuller's teasel b : a plant of the same genus as the teasel
2
a : a flower head of the fuller's teasel used when dried to raise a nap on woolen cloth b : a wire substitute for the teasel
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Origin of TEASEL
Middle English tesel, from Old English tǣsel; akin to Old English tǣsan to tease
First Known Use: before 12th century
2teasel
transitive verbtea·seled or tea·selledtea·sel·ing or tea·sel·ling \ˈtēz-liŋ, ˈtē-zə-\
teasel
noun (Concise Encyclopedia)Any of about 15 species constituting the genus Dipsacus of the family Dipsacaceae (the teasel family), native to Europe, the Mediterranean area, and tropical Africa. Many teasels are prickly, coarse biennials with tall-domed heads of numerous, four-lobed flowers that sit on a crownlike circle of spiny, narrow bracts. The spiny, dry fruiting heads of fuller's teasel (D. sativus) have been used since Roman times to raise the nap of woolen fabrics in a process known as fulling.
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