Teasel

3 definitions found

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

  Teasel \Tea"sel\, n. [OE. tesel, AS. t[=ae]sel, t[=ae]sl, the
     fuller's herb. See {Tease}.] [Written also {tassel}, {tazel},
     {teasle}, {teazel}, and {teazle}.]
     1. (Bot.) A plant of the genus {Dipsacus}, of which one
        species ({Dipsacus fullonum}) bears a large flower head
        covered with stiff, prickly, hooked bracts. This flower


        head, when dried, is used for raising a nap on woolen
        cloth.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: Small teasel is {Dipsacus pilosus}, wild teasel is
           {Dipsacus sylvestris}.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A bur of this plant.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. Any contrivance intended as a substitute for teasels in
        dressing cloth.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Teasel frame}, a frame or set of iron bars in which teasel
        heads are fixed for raising the nap on woolen cloth.
        [1913 Webster]

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

  Teasel \Tea"sel\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Teaseled}or {Teaselled};
     p. pr. & vb. n. {Teaseling} or {Teaselling}.]
     To subject, as woolen cloth, to the action of teasels, or any
     substitute for them which has an effect to raise a nap.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  teasel
       n : any of several herbs of the genus Dipsacus native to the Old
           World having flower heads surrounded by spiny bracts
           [syn: {teazel}, {teasle}]
       [also: {teaselling}, {teaselled}]