English Dictionary |
CROWN OF THORNS
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Dictionary entry overview: What does crown of thorns mean?
• CROWN OF THORNS (noun)
The noun CROWN OF THORNS has 3 senses:
1. any affliction that causes great suffering
2. somewhat climbing bushy spurge of Madagascar having long woody spiny stems with few leaves and flowers with scarlet bracts
3. a mock crown made of thorn branches that Roman soldiers placed on Jesus before the Crucifixion
Familiarity information: CROWN OF THORNS used as a noun is uncommon.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
Any affliction that causes great suffering
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Synonyms:
cross; crown of thorns
Context example:
he bears his afflictions like a crown of thorns
Hypernyms ("crown of thorns" is a kind of...):
affliction (a state of great suffering and distress due to adversity)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Somewhat climbing bushy spurge of Madagascar having long woody spiny stems with few leaves and flowers with scarlet bracts
Classified under:
Nouns denoting plants
Synonyms:
Christ plant; Christ thorn; crown of thorns; Euphorbia milii
Hypernyms ("crown of thorns" is a kind of...):
spurge (any of numerous plants of the genus Euphorbia; usually having milky often poisonous juice)
Holonyms ("crown of thorns" is a member of...):
Euphorbia; genus Euphorbia (type genus of the Euphorbiaceae: very large genus of diverse plants all having milky juice)
Sense 3
Meaning:
A mock crown made of thorn branches that Roman soldiers placed on Jesus before the Crucifixion
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Hypernyms ("crown of thorns" is a kind of...):
crown; diadem (an ornamental jeweled headdress signifying sovereignty)
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