| Share

Dictionary of Phrase and Fable—N

Nettles

It is ill work plucking nettles with bare hands, or belling the cat. It is ill work to interfere in matters which cannot but prove disagreeable or even worse. In French, “Attacher le grelot.”

Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

More on Nettles from Infoplease:

nettle - nettle nettle, common name for the Urticaceae, a family of fibrous herbs, small shrubs, and trees ...
sea nettle - sea nettle sea nettle, any one of several species of stinging jellyfish, common along coasts and ...
nettle cell: meaning and definitions - nettle cell: Definition and Pronunciation
sea nettle: meaning and definitions - sea nettle: Definition and Pronunciation
hemp nettle: meaning and definitions - hemp nettle: Definition and Pronunciation

Related Content

Allusions
Foreign Words and Phrases
Latin and Greek Word Elements
Names: Their Origins and Meanings
Old Testament Names
Mythology
Ancient Greek Literature & Mythology
The Bible (King James version)
The Koran (translation by J. M. Rodwell)
Shakespeare's Plays
Tales from Shakespeare (Charles and Mary Lamb)
Frequently Misspelled Words
Frequently Mispronounced Words
Easily Confused Words
Writing & Language

24 X 7

Private Tutor

	24 x 7 Tutor Availability
	Unlimited Online Tutoring
	1-on-1 Tutoring

Explore 7th Grade Math , 12th Grade Math

Popular Areas

Infoplease Tools

The Family Education Network

About Infoplease,
Part of Family Education Network

© 2000–2013 Pearson Education, publishing as Infoplease