ˈsea-thistle
1. The sea-holly, Eryngium maritimum.
In quot. c 1265 perh. the water-caltrops (caltrop 3).
| c 1265 [see caltrop 3]. 1608 Topsell Serpents 45 The Sea-thistle called Eryngium marinum, which some call Sea-hull, or Huluer. 1626 Bacon Sylva §568 Eryngium, (Sea-Thistle). 1805 Forsyth Beauties Scot. II. 365 The coast..produces scurvy-grass, colewort, and sea-thistle. 1979 Bull. Yorks. Dial. Soc. Summer 7 The only kind of flowers were the dark blue sea thistle with very strong prickly leaves but no smell. |
† 2. The echinus or sea-urchin. Obs.—1
| 1661 Lovell Hist. Anim. & Min. 230 They are so full of prickles, that they cannot be held, therefore some call them the Sea Thistles. |
† 3. In full sea-thistle weed: ? gulf-weed. Obs.
| 1703 W. Dampier Voy. III. i. 14 We..saw Flying-fish, and a great deal of Sea-Thistle Weed floating. 1727 Dorrington Philip Quarll (1754) 66 We saw some Flying-fish, and a great deal of Sea-thistle swimming. |