bri

{ } n. [ OE. brere, brer, AS. brēr, brær; cf. Ir. briar prickle, thorn, brier, pin, Gael. preas bush, brier, W. prys, prysg. ] 1. A plant with a slender woody stem bearing stout prickles; especially, species of Rosa, Rubus, and Smilax. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Fig.: Anything sharp or unpleasant to the feelings. [ 1913 Webster ]

The thorns and briers of reproof. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

Brier root, the root of the southern Smilax laurifolia and Smilax Walteri; -- used for tobacco pipes. See also 2nd brier. --
Cat brier,
Green brier, several species of Smilax (Smilax rotundifolia, etc.) --
Sweet brier (Rosa rubiginosa). See Sweetbrier. --
Yellow brier, the Rosa Eglantina. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. an old French breed of large strong usually black dogs having a long tail and long wavy and slightly stiff coat. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ L. Briareius, fr. Briareus a mythological hundred-handed giant, Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; strong. ] Pertaining to, or resembling, Briareus, a giant fabled to have a hundred hands; hence, hundred-handed or many-handed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. the hard woody root of the briar Erica arborea. [ Also spelled brierroot. ] [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. wood from the hard woody root of the briar Erica arborea; used to make tobacco pipes.
Syn. -- brierwood. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. 1. having or covered with protective barbs or quills or spines or thorns etc.; -- of plants or animals.
Syn. -- barbed, barbellate, briery, bristly, burred, burry, prickly, spiny, thorny. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Capable of being bribed. [ 1913 Webster ]

A more bribable class of electors. S. Edwards. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. bribe a lump of bread, scraps, leavings of meals (that are generally given to a beggar), LL. briba scrap of bread; cf. OF. briber, brifer, to eat gluttonously, to beg, and OHG. bilibi food. ] 1. A gift begged; a present. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A price, reward, gift, or favor bestowed or promised with a view to prevent the judgment or corrupt the conduct of a judge, witness, voter, or other person in a position of trust. [ 1913 Webster ]

Undue reward for anything against justice is a bribe. Hobart. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That which seduces; seduction; allurement. [ 1913 Webster ]

Not the bribes of sordid wealth can seduce to leave these ever&unr_;blooming sweets. Akenside. [ 1913 Webster ]