Brier,

7 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Brier \Bri"er\, Briar \Bri"ar\ (br[imac]"[~e]r), n. [OE. brere,
     brer, AS. br[=e]r, br[ae]r; cf. Ir. briar prickle, thorn,
     brier, pin, Gael. preas bush, brier, W. prys, prysg.]
     1. A plant with a slender woody stem bearing stout prickles;
        especially, species of {Rosa}, {Rubus}, and {Smilax}.
        [1913 Webster]


  
     2. Fig.: Anything sharp or unpleasant to the feelings.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The thorns and briers of reproof.     --Cowper.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Brier root}, the root of the southern {Smilax laurifolia}
        and {Smilax Walteri}; -- used for tobacco pipes. See also
        2nd {brier}.
  
     {Cat brier}, {Green brier}, several species of Smilax
        ({Smilax rotundifolia}, etc.)
  
     {Sweet brier} ({Rosa rubiginosa}). See {Sweetbrier}.
  
     {Yellow brier}, the {Rosa Eglantina}.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Brier \Bri"er\, n.
     1. the white heath {Erica arborea}. --RHUD.
        [PJC]
  
     2. a smoking pipe made of the root of the brier[1].
  
     Note: Brierroot seems to have been used formerly as a term
           meaning root of the {Smilax laurifolia} and is now
           defined as root of the {Erica arborea}. Not clear when
           this changed. -- PJC.
           [PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  brier
       n 1: tangled mass of prickly plants [syn: {brierpatch}, {brier
            patch}]
       2: a thorny stem or twig
       3: Eurasian rose with prickly stems and fragrant leaves and
          bright pink flowers followed by scarlet hips [syn: {sweetbrier},
           {sweetbriar}, {briar}, {eglantine}, {Rosa eglanteria}]
       4: a very prickly woody vine of the eastern United States
          growing in tangled masses having tough round stems with
          shiny leathery leaves and small greenish flowers followed
          by clusters of inedible shiny black berries [syn: {bullbrier},
           {greenbrier}, {catbrier}, {horse brier}, {horse-brier}, {briar},
           {Smilax rotundifolia}]
       5: evergreen treelike Mediterranean shrub having fragrant white
          flowers in large terminal panicles and hard woody roots
          used to make tobacco pipes [syn: {tree heath}, {briar}, {Erica
          arborea}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  43 Moby Thesaurus words for "brier":
     adherent, adhesive, barnacle, bramble, brier bush, bristle,
     bulldog, burr, bush, cactus, catchweed, cement, cleavers, decal,
     decalcomania, glue, goose grass, gunk, leech, limpet, molasses,
     mucilage, needle, nettle, paste, pine needle, plaster, prickle,
     quill, remora, scrub, shrub, shrubbery, spicule, spiculum, spike,
     spikelet, spine, sticker, syrup, thistle, thorn, yucca
  
  

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:

  Brier
     This word occurs frequently, and is the translation of several
     different terms. (1.) Micah 7:4, it denotes a species of thorn
     shrub used for hedges. In Prov. 15:19 the word is rendered
     "thorn" (Heb. _hedek_, "stinging"), supposed by some to be what
     is called the "apple of Sodom" (q.v.).
     
       (2.) Ezek. 28:24, _sallon'_, properly a "prickle," such as is
     found on the shoots of the palm tree.
     
       (3.) Isa. 55:13, probably simply a thorny bush. Some,
     following the Vulgate Version, regard it as the "nettle."
     
       (4.) Isa. 5:6; 7:23-25, etc., frequently used to denote thorny
     shrubs in general. In 10:17; 27:4, it means troublesome men.
     
       (5.) In Heb. 6:8 the Greek word (tribolos) so rendered means
     "three-pronged," and denotes the land caltrop, a low throny
     shrub resembling in its spikes the military "crow-foot." Comp.
     Matt. 7:16, "thistle."
     

From U.S. Gazetteer (1990) [gazetteer]:

  Brier, WA (city, FIPS 7940)
    Location: 47.79250 N, 122.27169 W
    Population (1990): 5633 (1822 housing units)
    Area: 5.5 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
    Zip code(s): 98036

From U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000) [gaz-place]:

  Brier, WA -- U.S. city in Washington
     Population (2000):    6383
     Housing Units (2000): 2115
     Land area (2000):     2.130056 sq. miles (5.516820 sq. km)
     Water area (2000):    0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
     Total area (2000):    2.130056 sq. miles (5.516820 sq. km)
     FIPS code:            07940
     Located within:       Washington (WA), FIPS 53
     Location:             47.790019 N, 122.273068 W
     ZIP Codes (1990):     98036
     Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
     Headwords:
      Brier, WA
      Brier