Noun
somewhat climbing bushy spurge of Madagascar having long woody spiny stems with few leaves and flowers with scarlet bracts
any affliction that causes great suffering
a mock crown made of thorn branches that Roman soldiers placed on Jesus before the Crucifixion
Source: WordNetEvery noble crown is, and on earth will forever be, a crown of thorns. Thomas Carlyle
Damn it all, you can't have the crown of thorns and the thirty pieces of silver. Aneurin Bevan
You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns. You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold. William Jennings Bryan
Christ illustrates the purport of life as He descends from His transfiguration to toil, and goes forward to exchange that robe of heavenly brightness for the crown of thorns. Edwin Hubbell Chapin
Bitter love, a violet with it's crown of thorns in a thicet of spiky passions, spear of sorrow, corolla of rage: how did you come to conquer my soul? What brought you? Pablo Neruda
What grace could all your worldly power bring To One whose crown of thorns has made him King, The Christ who gave His body to the flails, Who humbly bore the lance and piercing nails? Or do you fear the rabble might disgrace The One. Aleksandr Pushkin