devil’s thorn, noun phrase

Forms:
Also devil thorn, and with initial capital.
Origin:
AfrikaansShow more Formed on Afrikaans name duiweltjie, see dubbeltjie noun2.
dubbeltjie noun2.
1906 J.M. Wood Natal Plants VI. Pl.360Emex australis...A troublesome weed known to the young people as ‘Devil’s thorn’. As the seed vessels lie on the ground one of the thorns is always erect or nearly so, and therefore likely to inflict painful wounds.
1953 D. Rooke S. Afr. Twins 45Uncle Tys Swanepoel..thinking he was pursued by a ghost had leapt through a window on to a patch of devil-thorn.
1955 E.A. Ritter Shaka Zulu 67He instructed the Fasimba regiment to collect many basketsful of inkunzanas, the three-pronged ‘devil thorns’ which always have one prong pointing upwards.
1971 Golden Fleece (S. Afr. Wool Board) June 8Other pioneers that are found generally are weeds such as Devil’s thorn (Tribulus terrestris).
1978 A. Elliott Sons of Zulu 34Shaka..ordered an assembly and covered his parade ground with triple-spiked ‘devil-thorns’. These formidable little creations are known in Afrikaans as ‘duiweltjies’ (little devils) and in Zulu as ‘nkunzana’ (little bulls) but no matter what their name they are one of nature’s most devastating devices to walk on.
1982 Fox & Norwood Young Food from Veld 304Emex australis...Common names English — cat’s head, devil’s thorn, spiny emex.
1982 A. Moriarty Outeniqua Tsitsikamma 124Tribulus terrestris...The fruit is well named ‘devil’s thorn’ as it has 2–8 wicked thorns.
1987 B. Munitich Ben’s Buddy 23He sat down to examine his bare foot and found a small, round hole in his heel. ‘A devil thorn,’ he said to John, poking at the spot.
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19061987

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Afrikaans
development board, noun phrasen. phr.dew-berry, nounn.
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