2. a thorny tree or shrub, as the hawthorne. 3. the wood of such a plant. 4. a runic character (Ã¾), borrowed into the Latin alphabet and used to represent the initial th sounds of thin and they in Old English and of thin in modern Icelandic.sage It hardly makes a difference whether you get pricked by a thorn or a spineâit hurts just the same. But a person who studies plants might think there was a difference. Scientifically speaking, a thorn is a hard, pointed part of a stem or branch of a woody plant.
Anise oil is derived from the seeds and sometimes from the leaves. The oil, composed chiefly of anethole, is used in medicinals, dentifrices, perfumes, beverages, and, in drag hunting, to scent a trail for dogs in the absence of a fox. The anise of the Bible (Mat. 23.23) is dill, a plant of the same family.
In the culinary arts, anise (pronounced ANN-iss) refers usually to the seeds of a plant with aromatic leaves and stems that taste like liquorice, fennel or tarragon. While the leaves of the anise plant can be used as an herb, it's mainly the seeds that are used in cooking. Sometimes called aniseed, the seeds are used as a spice, either ground or whole. Aniseed is used in a various baked goods and desserts, for example Italian biscotti, which is made with anise ewtract (see below). Anise seeds are also frequently used in sausage making (i.e. charcuterie).