I.full of thorns or prickles, thorny, prickly.
I. Lit.: “caprae in spinosis locis pascuntur,” Varr. R. R. 2, 3, 8: “herbae,” Ov. M. 2, 810: “frutecta,” Plin. 30, 11, 30, § 101: “caulis,” id. 19, 3, 17, § 47: “folia,” id. 20, 23, 99, § 262: “cortex,” id. 12, 15, 34, § 67: “spinosior arbor,” id. 24, 12, 67, § 109: “fragmenta vertebrae,” Cels. 8, 9 fin.—
II. Trop., thorny.
1. Of style, harsh, crabbed, obscure, confused, perplexed: “Stoicorum spinosum disserendi genus,” Cic. Fin. 3, 1, 3: “oratio,” id. de Or. 1, 18, 83.—Comp.: “haec enim spinosiora prius ut confitear me cogunt,” Cic. Tusc. 1, 8, 16; id. Or. 32, 114; Varr. L. L. 8, § 51 Müll.—Sup.: “praeceptorum nodosissimae et spinosissimae disciplinae,” Aug. Doctr. Chr. 2, 37.—
2. Of cares, stinging, galling. irritating: “curae,” Cat. 64, 72; cf. spina, II.
