Thorn vs. Torn — What's the Difference?

A modified branch in the form of a sharp woody structure.

Past participle of tear1.

Any of various other sharp protuberances, such as a spine.

Past participle of tear(rip, rend, speed).

Any of various shrubs, trees, or woody plants bearing such sharp structures.

Having edges that are jagged from injury

Any of various sharp protuberances on an animal.

Disrupted by the pull of contrary forces;

One that causes sharp pain, irritation, or discomfort

The runic letter þ, used in Old English, Middle English, and Old Norse manuscripts to represent both the voiceless sound (th) of Modern English thin and the voiced sound (th) of Modern English this, and in modern Icelandic orthography to represent the voiceless sound (th).

(botany) A sharp protective spine of a plant.

Any shrub or small tree that bears thorns, especially a hawthorn.

(figurative) That which pricks or annoys; anything troublesome.

A letter of Latin script (capital: Þ, small: þ), borrowed from the futhark; today used only in Icelandic to represent the voiceless dental fricative, but originally used in several early Germanic scripts, including Old English where it represented the dental fricatives that are today written th (Old English did not have phonemic voicing distinctions for fricatives).

To pierce with, or as if with, a thorn (sharp pointed object).

A hard and sharp-pointed projection from a woody stem; usually, a branch so transformed; a spine.

Any shrub or small tree which bears thorns; especially, any species of the genus Cratægus, as the hawthorn, whitethorn, cockspur thorn.

Fig.: That which pricks or annoys as a thorn; anything troublesome; trouble; care.

The name of the Anglo-Saxon letter , capital form . It was used to represent both of the sounds of English th, as in thin, then. So called because it was the initial letter of thorn, a spine.

To prick, as with a thorn.

Something that causes irritation and annoyance;

A sharp-pointed tip on a stem or leaf

A Germanic character of runic origin