Thorny
adjective
Covered with thorns, sharp points that stick out.
The rose is a thorny plant.
adjective
Something difficult or complicated.
The thorny issue of immigration.
Usage tips
Academic
adjective
Covered with thorns, sharp points that stick out.
The rose is a thorny plant.
adjective
Something difficult or complicated.
The thorny issue of immigration.
Usage tips
Academic
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Literal Meaning
Directly refers to physical objects with sharp, pointy extensions.
Be careful of the thorny branches when hiking through the woods.
Pro Tip 2/3Visual Imagery
Helps create a clear picture or warn of physical pain when touching.
He grabbed the thorny stem without gloves and yelped in pain.
Pro Tip 3/3Metaphor for Difficult
Sometimes used metaphorically to describe situations requiring careful handling.
Navigating their thorny relationship required patience and diplomacy.
Pro Tip 1/3Literal Meaning
Directly refers to physical objects with sharp, pointy extensions.
Be careful of the thorny branches when hiking through the woods.
Pro Tip 2/3Visual Imagery
Helps create a clear picture or warn of physical pain when touching.
He grabbed the thorny stem without gloves and yelped in pain.
Pro Tip 3/3Metaphor for Difficult
Sometimes used metaphorically to describe situations requiring careful handling.
Navigating their thorny relationship required patience and diplomacy.
Pro Tip 1/3Literal Meaning
Directly refers to physical objects with sharp, pointy extensions.
Be careful of the thorny branches when hiking through the woods.
Pro Tip 2/3Visual Imagery
Helps create a clear picture or warn of physical pain when touching.
He grabbed the thorny stem without gloves and yelped in pain.
Pro Tip 3/3Metaphor for Difficult
Sometimes used metaphorically to describe situations requiring careful handling.
Navigating their thorny relationship required patience and diplomacy.
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Video examples
Brewster Kahle: A...
and put it online, if you're doing things in volume. But we've found that the rights issues are really quite thorny. This is a fairly heavily litigated area, so we've found that there are niches in the music world that aren't served terribly well by the classic commercial publishing system.
Video examples
What will future jobs...
We are in the middle of an astonishing period. Which brings up another great What could possibly go wrong in this new machine age? Right? Great, hang up, flourish, go home. We're going to face two really thorny sets of challenges as we head deeper into the future that we're creating.
Video examples
Tom Wujec: Got a wicked...
and download examples of various templates for unpacking the thorny problems that we all face in our organizations. So the seemingly trivial design exercise of drawing toast helps us get clear, engaged and aligned. So next time you're confronted with an interesting challenge,
Video examples
Can we stop climate...
But if the scale seems enormous, it is only because of the scale of the problem that we are seeking to solve. It's enormous as well. We can no longer avoid these thorny issues. We face risks whichever way we a world changed by climate change
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 276 PIPE...
are not deep in the thick bushes anymore but say they are still concentrating on some of the a thorny trees now they are feeding on one of the Virginia which is the acacia this is the biggest I have seen so far and not very far away this
Video examples
How to make work-life...
decided I would try to address the thorny issue of work-life balance so I stepped back from the workforce and I spent a year at home with my wife and four young children but all I learned about work-life balance from that year
Video examples
How to make work-life...
I was eating too much, I was drinking too much, I was working too hard and I was neglecting the family. And I decided that I would try and turn my life around. In particular, I decided I would try to address the thorny issue
Video examples
Thorny Devil PIPE National...
thorny devil we nominate the thorny devil as the lizard most in need of a spa treatment we mean the whole program sea salt scrub mud baths kelp wrap hydrotherapy and the world's longest deepest facial I
Video examples
Thorny Devil PIPE National...
thorny devil we nominate the thorny devil as the lizard most in need of a spa treatment we mean the whole program sea salt scrub mud baths kelp wrap hydrotherapy and the world's longest deepest facial I
Video examples
Lesley Hazleton: The...
And he'd commit himself fully to the hard and thorny process of making peace. Thank you.
Video examples
Brewster Kahle: A...
and put it online, if you're doing things in volume. But we've found that the rights issues are really quite thorny. This is a fairly heavily litigated area, so we've found that there are niches in the music world that aren't served terribly well by the classic commercial publishing system.
Video examples
What will future jobs...
We are in the middle of an astonishing period. Which brings up another great What could possibly go wrong in this new machine age? Right? Great, hang up, flourish, go home. We're going to face two really thorny sets of challenges as we head deeper into the future that we're creating.
Video examples
Tom Wujec: Got a wicked...
and download examples of various templates for unpacking the thorny problems that we all face in our organizations. So the seemingly trivial design exercise of drawing toast helps us get clear, engaged and aligned. So next time you're confronted with an interesting challenge,
Video examples
Can we stop climate...
But if the scale seems enormous, it is only because of the scale of the problem that we are seeking to solve. It's enormous as well. We can no longer avoid these thorny issues. We face risks whichever way we a world changed by climate change
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 276 PIPE...
are not deep in the thick bushes anymore but say they are still concentrating on some of the a thorny trees now they are feeding on one of the Virginia which is the acacia this is the biggest I have seen so far and not very far away this
Video examples
How to make work-life...
decided I would try to address the thorny issue of work-life balance so I stepped back from the workforce and I spent a year at home with my wife and four young children but all I learned about work-life balance from that year
Video examples
How to make work-life...
I was eating too much, I was drinking too much, I was working too hard and I was neglecting the family. And I decided that I would try and turn my life around. In particular, I decided I would try to address the thorny issue
Video examples
Thorny Devil PIPE National...
thorny devil we nominate the thorny devil as the lizard most in need of a spa treatment we mean the whole program sea salt scrub mud baths kelp wrap hydrotherapy and the world's longest deepest facial I
Video examples
Thorny Devil PIPE National...
thorny devil we nominate the thorny devil as the lizard most in need of a spa treatment we mean the whole program sea salt scrub mud baths kelp wrap hydrotherapy and the world's longest deepest facial I
Video examples
Lesley Hazleton: The...
And he'd commit himself fully to the hard and thorny process of making peace. Thank you.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Rahman Baba
Poet
Always grow flowers, as that will make your way full of flowers. Never grow thorns, as that will make your way thorny. Never want to target someone on an arrow. You may become the target of that arrow. Never make a well in the way of someone. As you may pass by that way sometime.
Quote examples
Paul Engle
American Poet
For my Oxford degree, I had to translate French and German philosophy (as it turned out, Descartes and Kant) at sight without a dictionary. That meant Germany for my first summer vacation, to learn the thorny language on my own.
Quote examples
Katie Lee
American Chef
Devising the menu for an intimate meal can be a thorny task. You want to make something your guy will go crazy for, but that usually means big and heavy. And feeling overly full kind of kills the mood.
Quote examples
Scott Weiss
American Businessman
The thorniest business problems will surface at the board meetings, and the different, sharp opinions help to better explore the poles of the arguments to make better decisions.
Quote examples
Mike Simpson
American Politician
For a variety of reasons, I believe, the time is right to resolve many of the long standing and thorny land use, recreation, and wilderness designation issues in Central Idaho.
Quote examples
Richard Thaler
American Economist
One of society's thorniest problems is that children from poor families start school lagging badly behind their more affluent classmates in readiness.
Quote examples
Amanda Plummer
Canadian Actress
I like devilish, thorny, dirty, mean roles, muck and mire, unbelievably sad, unbelievably happy, burdened. Inner conflict - that's where drama is.
Quote examples
Hope Jahren
American Scientist
In New England, the pin oak thrives, its leaves tipping to a thorny point in a good-natured impression of its evergreen neighbor, the holly bush.
Quote examples
Theodore Dreiser
American Novelist
I believe in the compelling power of love. I do not understand it. I believe it to be the most fragrant blossom of all this thorny existence.
Quote examples
Lewis Gordon Pugh
British Environmentalist
Climate change is the Everest of all problems, the thorniest challenge facing humankind.
Quote examples
Rahman Baba
Poet
Always grow flowers, as that will make your way full of flowers. Never grow thorns, as that will make your way thorny. Never want to target someone on an arrow. You may become the target of that arrow. Never make a well in the way of someone. As you may pass by that way sometime.
Quote examples
Paul Engle
American Poet
For my Oxford degree, I had to translate French and German philosophy (as it turned out, Descartes and Kant) at sight without a dictionary. That meant Germany for my first summer vacation, to learn the thorny language on my own.
Quote examples
Katie Lee
American Chef
Devising the menu for an intimate meal can be a thorny task. You want to make something your guy will go crazy for, but that usually means big and heavy. And feeling overly full kind of kills the mood.
Quote examples
Scott Weiss
American Businessman
The thorniest business problems will surface at the board meetings, and the different, sharp opinions help to better explore the poles of the arguments to make better decisions.
Quote examples
Mike Simpson
American Politician
For a variety of reasons, I believe, the time is right to resolve many of the long standing and thorny land use, recreation, and wilderness designation issues in Central Idaho.
Quote examples
Richard Thaler
American Economist
One of society's thorniest problems is that children from poor families start school lagging badly behind their more affluent classmates in readiness.
Quote examples
Amanda Plummer
Canadian Actress
I like devilish, thorny, dirty, mean roles, muck and mire, unbelievably sad, unbelievably happy, burdened. Inner conflict - that's where drama is.
Quote examples
Hope Jahren
American Scientist
In New England, the pin oak thrives, its leaves tipping to a thorny point in a good-natured impression of its evergreen neighbor, the holly bush.
Quote examples
Theodore Dreiser
American Novelist
I believe in the compelling power of love. I do not understand it. I believe it to be the most fragrant blossom of all this thorny existence.
Quote examples
Lewis Gordon Pugh
British Environmentalist
Climate change is the Everest of all problems, the thorniest challenge facing humankind.
Example 1 of 10
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