nettle

From Middle English netle, netel, from Old English netle, netele, netel, from Proto-West Germanic *natilā (cognate with Old Saxon netila, Middle Dutch netele (modern Dutch netel), German Nessel, Middle Danish nædlæ (“nettle”)), a diminutive of Proto-Germanic *natǭ (of unknown origin, perhaps from the same source as net).

• enPR: nĕt'(ə)l, IPA^(key): /ˈnɛt(ə)l/

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• Rhymes: -ɛt(ə)l

nettle (plural nettles)

1. Any plant whose foliage is covered with stinging, mildly poisonous hairs, causing an instant rash.
   1. Especially, most species of herb genus Urtica, the stinging nettles:
      1. Most, but not all, subspecies of Urtica dioica (common nettle),
      2. Urtica incisa (Australian nettle);
   2. Wood nettle (Laportea canadensis);
   3. Bull nettles and spurge nettles (Cnidoscolus spp.):
      1. Cnidoscolus stimulosus, bull nettle, spurge nettle,
      2. Cnidoscolus texanus, Texas bull nettle,
      3. Cnidoscolus urens, bull nettle,
      4. Nettle trees or tree nettles:
         1. Various species of the genus Dendrocnide:
         2. Urera baccifera (scratchbush),
         3. Urtica ferox (tree nettle);
   4. rock nettle (Eucnide spp.);
   5. small-leaved nettle (Dendrocnide photinophylla).
2. Certain plants that have spines or prickles:
   1. ball nettle (Solanum carolinense);
   2. Solanum elaeagnifolium, bull nettle, silver-leaf nettle, white horse-nettle;
   3. Solanum dimidiatum, western horse-nettle, robust horse-nettle;
   4. Solanum rostratum, horse-nettle;
   5. Celtis (hackberry).
3. Certain non-stinging plants, mostly in the family Lamiaceae, that resemble the species of Urtica:
   1. dead nettle, dumb nettle (Lamium spp.), particularly Lamium album, white nettle;
   2. false nettle (Boehmeria spp., family Urticaceae);
   3. flame nettle or painted nettle (Coleus spp.);
   4. hedge nettle (Stachys spp.);
   5. hemp nettle (Galeopsis spp.);
   6. horse nettle Agastache urticifolia,
   7. nilgiri nettle, Himalayan giant nettle (Girardinia diversifolia, family Urticaceae).
4. Loosely, anything which causes a similarly stinging rash, such as a jellyfish or sea nettle.

nettle (third-person singular simple present nettles, present participle nettling, simple past and past participle nettled)

1. (transitive) Of the nettle plant and similar physical causes, to sting, causing a rash in someone.

   The children were badly nettled after playing in the field.

   • c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]:

     […] I am whipp’d and scourged with rods, / Nettled and stung with pismires, when I hear / Of this vile politician, Bolingbroke.

2. (transitive, figurative) To pique, irritate, vex or provoke.
   • 1658, Thomas Browne, “The Garden of Cyrus. […]. Chapter II.”, in Hydriotaphia, Urne-buriall, […] Together with The Garden of Cyrus, […], London: […] Hen[ry] Brome […], →OCLC, pages 110–111:

     [T]his is no lavv unto the vvoof of the neat Retiarie Spider, vvhich ſeems to vveave vvithout tranſverſion, and by the union of right lines to make out a continued ſurface, vvhich is beyond the common art of Textury, and may ſtill nettle Minerva the Godeſſe of that myſtery.

   • 1679 April 6 (date licensed; Gregorian calendar), A[phra] Behn, The Feign‘d Curtizans, or, A Nights Intrigue. A Comedy. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson […], published 1679, →OCLC, Act V, scene i, page 59:

     His Miſtreſs: vvhoſe Miſtreſs, vvhat Miſtreſs; s'life hovv that little vvord has nettled me!

   • 1741, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter XXXI”, in Pamela: Or, Virtue Rewarded. […], 3rd edition, volume I, London: […] C[harles] Rivington, […]; and J. Osborn, […], →OCLC:

     I saw Mr. Williams was a little nettled at my Impatience […]

   • 1985, United States, Daily Report: People's Republic of China, numbers 180-189, Foreign Broadcast Information Service, page 42:

     Liu, whose political writings had nettled the Taiwanese authorities, was assassinated on October 15, last year, in Daly City […]

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