Sow \Sow\, n. [OE. sowe, suwe, AS. sugu, akin to s[=u], D. zog,
zeug, OHG. s[=u], G. sau, Icel. s[=y]r, Dan. so, Sw. sugga,
so, L. sus. Gr. "y^s, sy^s, Zend. hu boar; probably from the
root seen in Skr. s[=u] to beget, to bear; the animal being
named in allusion to its fecundity. [root]294. Cf. Hyena,
Soil to stain, Son, Swine.]
1. (Zool.) The female of swine, or of the hog kind.
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2. (Zool.) A sow bug.
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3. (Metal.)
(a) A channel or runner which receives the rows of molds
in the pig bed.
(b) The bar of metal which remains in such a runner.
(c) A mass of solidified metal in a furnace hearth; a
salamander.
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4. (Mil.) A kind of covered shed, formerly used by besiegers
in filling up and passing the ditch of a besieged place,
sapping and mining the wall, or the like. --Craig.
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Sow bread. (Bot.) See Cyclamen.
Sow bug, or Sowbug (Zool.), any one of numerous species
of terrestrial Isopoda belonging to Oniscus,
Porcellio, and allied genera of the family Oniscidae.
They feed chiefly on decaying vegetable substances.
Sow thistle [AS. sugepistel] (Bot.), a composite plant
(Sonchus oleraceus) said to be eaten by swine and some
other animals.
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Thistle \This"tle\, n. [OE. thistil, AS. [thorn]istel; akin to
D. & G. distel, OHG. distila, distil, Icel. [thorn]istill,
Sw. tistel, Dan. tidsel; of uncertain origin.] (Bot.)
Any one of several prickly composite plants, especially those
of the genera Cnicus, Craduus, and Onopordon. The name
is often also applied to other prickly plants.
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Blessed thistle, Carduus benedictus, so named because it
was formerly considered an antidote to the bite of
venomous creatures.
Bull thistle, Cnicus lanceolatus, the common large
thistle of neglected pastures.
Canada thistle, Cnicus arvensis, a native of Europe, but
introduced into the United States from Canada.
Cotton thistle, Onopordon Acanthium.
Fuller's thistle, the teasel.
Globe thistle, Melon thistle, etc. See under Globe,
Melon, etc.
Pine thistle, Atractylis gummifera, a native of the
Mediterranean region. A vicid gum resin flows from the
involucre.
Scotch thistle, either the cotton thistle, or the musk
thistle, or the spear thistle; -- all used national
emblems of Scotland.
Sow thistle, Sonchus oleraceus.
Spear thistle. Same as Bull thistle.
Star thistle, a species of Centaurea. See Centaurea.
Torch thistle, a candelabra-shaped plant of the genus
Cereus. See Cereus.
Yellow thistle, Cincus horridulus.
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Thistle bird (Zool.), the American goldfinch, or
yellow-bird (Spinus tristis); -- so called on account of
its feeding on the seeds of thistles. See Illust. under
Goldfinch.
Thistle butterfly (Zool.), a handsomely colored American
butterfly (Vanessa cardui) whose larva feeds upon
thistles; -- called also painted lady.
Thistle cock (Zool.), the corn bunting (Emberiza
militaria). [Prov. Eng.]
Thistle crown, a gold coin of England of the reign of James
I., worth four shillings.
Thistle finch (Zool.), the goldfinch; -- so called from its
fondness for thistle seeds. [Prov. Eng.]
Thistle funnel, a funnel having a bulging body and flaring
mouth.
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