nettle

From Middle English netle, netel, from Old English netle, netele, netel, from Proto-Germanic *natilǭ (cognate with Old Saxon netila, Middle Dutch netele (modern Dutch netel), German Nessel, Middle Danish nædlæ (“nettle”)), a diminutive of Proto-Germanic *natǭ (of unknown origin, perhaps from the same source as net).

• enPR: nĕt'(ə)l, IPA^(key): /ˈnɛt(ə)l/

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• Rhymes: -ɛt(ə)l

nettle (plural nettles)

1. Any plant whose foliage is covered with stinging, mildly poisonous hairs, causing an instant rash.
   1. Especially, most species of herb genus Urtica, the stinging nettles:
      1. Most, but not all, subspecies of Urtica dioica,
      2. Urtica incisa;
   2. Wood nettle (Laportea canadensis);
   3. Bull nettles and spurge nettles of genus Cnidoscolus:
      1. Cnidoscolus stimulosus, bull nettle, spurge nettle,
      2. Cnidoscolus texanus, Texas bull nettle,
      3. Cnidoscolus urens, bull nettle,
      4. Nettle trees or tree nettles:
         1. Various species of the genus Dendrocnide,
         2. Urera baccifera,
         3. Urtica ferox;
   4. rock nettle (Eucnide);
   5. small-leaved nettle (Dendrocnide photinophylla).
2. Certain plants that have spines or prickles:
   1. ball nettle (Solanum carolinense);
   2. Solanum elaeagnifolium, bull nettle, silver-leaf nettle, white horse-nettle;
   3. Solanum dimidiatum, western horse-nettle, robust horse-nettle;
   4. Solanum rostratum, horse-nettle;
   5. Celtis.
3. Certain non-stinging plants, mostly in the family Lamiaceae, that resemble the species of Urtica:
   1. dead nettle, dumb nettle (Lamium), particularly Lamium album, white nettle;
   2. false nettle (Boehmeria, family Urticaceae);
   3. flame nettle or painted nettle (Coleus);
   4. hedge nettle (Stachys);
   5. hemp nettle (Galeopsis);
   6. horse nettle Agastache urticifolia,
   7. nilgiri nettle, Himalayan giant nettle (Girardinia diversifolia, family Urticaceae).
4. Loosely, anything which causes a similarly stinging rash, such as a jellyfish or sea nettle.

nettle (third-person singular simple present nettles, present participle nettling, simple past and past participle nettled) (transitive)

1. (transitive) Of the nettle plant and similar physical causes, to sting, causing a rash in someone.

   The children were badly nettled after playing in the field.

   • c. 1597, William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 1, Act I, Scene 3,

     […] I am whipp’d and scourged with rods,

     Nettled and stung with pismires, when I hear

     Of this vile politician, Bolingbroke.

2. (transitive, figuratively) To pique, irritate, vex or provoke.
   • 1679, Aphra Behn, The Feign’d Curtizans, London: Jacob Tonson, Act V, Scene 1, p. ,

     His Mistress: whose Mistress, what Mistress; s’life how that little word has nettled me!

   • 1741, Samuel Richardson, Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded, London: C. Rivington & J. Osborn, 2nd edition, Volume I, Letter 31, p. 212,

     I saw Mr. Williams was a little nettled at my Impatience […]

   • 1985, United States. Foreign Broadcast Information Service, Daily Report: People's Republic of China (issues 180-189, page 42)

     Liu, whose political writings had nettled the Taiwanese authorities, was assassinated on October 15, last year, in Daly City […]

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