bur grass
- noun
- Specialized
:
hierba cardo
- Some farmers try to remove bur grass to protect their livestock from injury.
Examples
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The field was covered in bur grass, making it difficult to cross.
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Many animals avoid bur grasses due to their prickly nature.
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Children should avoid walking barefoot where bur grass grows because its spiny seeds can hurt.
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The bur grass spread quickly across the field.
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Children should avoid walking barefoot where bur grass grows because its spiny seeds can hurt.
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Some farmers try to remove bur grass to protect their livestock from injury.
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The field was covered in bur grass, making it difficult to cross.
Synonyms
A grass with spiky seed heads that stick to animals and clothing
A group of grass plants that make spiny burrs
A grass that makes spiny seed cases that stick to animals
A grass with sharp prickly seed pods that stick to shoes
A grass from eastern US and tropical America with small spiky seed burs that stick to feet and fur
Surface Forms
Morphology
This noun–noun compound is directly compositional: a learner who knows 'bur' (a spiny seedpod) and 'grass' will infer that 'bur grass' is grass characterized by burs. The formation follows a common transparent pattern (thing + modifier) found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the parts should understand the meaning.
Etymology
Bur grass comes from the sharp, sticky seed heads called burs that grow on the plant; these small spiky bits stick to fur, clothes, or skin and can hurt. So, bur grass means 'a grass with spiny burs'.
