teasel

American  

[tee-zuhl] / ˈti zəl /

Or teazel,

noun

1. any of several plants of the genus Dipsacus, having prickly leaves and flower heads.

2. the dried flower head or bur of the plant D. fullonum, used for teasing or teaseling cloth.

3. any mechanical contrivance used for teaseling.

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verb (used with object)

teaseled, teaseling, teaselled, teaselling

1. to raise a nap on (cloth) with teasels; dress by means of teasels.

teasel British  

/ ˈtiːzəl /

noun

1. any of various stout biennial plants of the genus Dipsacus, of Eurasia and N Africa, having prickly leaves and prickly heads of yellow or purple flowers: family Dipsacaceae See also fuller's teasel

2. 1. the prickly dried flower head of the fuller's teasel, used for teasing

   2. any manufactured implement used for the same purpose

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verb

1. (tr) to tease (a fabric)

Other Word Forms

• teaseler noun
• teaseller noun
• unteaseled adjective
• unteaselled adjective

Etymology

Origin of teasel

before 1000; Middle English tesel, Old English tǣsel; akin to tease

Example Sentences

Elsewhere, they created big, unwieldy bunches of teasel, asparagus and white pine cut from their garden in Montauk, adding locally harvested flowers and branches from the floral design studio Field Studies Flora.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 13, 2022

Behind the bar, they swagged a second garland made from teasel and sweet gum and poppy seed pods.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 13, 2022

They are targeting Johnson grass, giant foxtail, Canada thistle, nodding thistle, common teasel, multiflora rose, Amur honeysuckle, poison hemlock, marestail, Japanese knotweed and kudzu.

From Washington Times • Mar. 18, 2021

They like to sit there and watch the wind blowing through the pale purple teasel, alone but for the murder of crows that guard their property.

From New York Times • Sep. 16, 2019

A Tozer teased the cloth with a teasel.

From The Romance of Names by Weekley, Ernest