See Also: bonfire(dictionary)
bonfire(dictionary)
bonfire night(dictionary)

porcupine (iou) and bonfire (oh)


porcupine (iou)



porcupine noun. . LME.

Any of various rodents of the Families Hystricidae (native to Africa, Asia, and SE Europe) and Erethizontidae (native to the Americas) having the body and tail covered with defensive erectile spines or quills. LME.
In full sea-porcupine. = porcupine-fish below. L17.
Any of various mechanical devices with numerous projecting spikes; esp. an apparatus for heckling flax, cotton, etc. M18.
The echidna, Tachyglossus aculeatus. Austral. L18.
In full porcupine grass. Any of various Australian grasses with long stiff sharp leaves, esp. Triodia irritans. Also called spinifex. M19.
Comb.: porcupine fish any of various tropical marine fishes of the family Diodontidae, which are covered with sharp spines and able to inflate the body; esp. Diodon hystrix; porcupine grass: see sense 4 above; porcupine-wood the wood of the coconut palm, with markings which resemble the quills of a porcupine.
porcupinish adjective resembling or suggesting a porcupine E19.
porcupiny adjective = porcupinish L19.

bonfire (oh)



[Date: 1500-1600; Origin: bonfire 'fire made from bones' (14-17 centuries), from bone + fire]
a large outdoor fire, either for burning waste or for a party
::Someone had lit a bonfire and we sat round it chatting.