Tea·sel n. [Written also tassel, tazel, teasle, teazel, and teazle.]
1. Bot. A plant of the genus Dipsacus, of which one species (Dipsacus fullonum) bears a large flower head covered with stiff, prickly, hooked bracts. This flower head, when dried, is used for raising a nap on woolen cloth.
Note: ☞ Small teasel is Dipsacus pilosus, wild teasel is Dipsacus sylvestris.
2. A bur of this plant.
3. Any contrivance intended as a substitute for teasels in dressing cloth.
Teasel frame, a frame or set of iron bars in which teasel heads are fixed for raising the nap on woolen cloth.
Dipsacus sylvestris
n : European teasel with white to pink flowers; naturalized in
United States [syn: wild teasel]