Converse of object

• prove: Babylon had always proved a thorn in the side of the Assyrian Empire.

• stick: If a thorn stuck in the foot is such a difficult thing to find... thorn in the heart is how much more?

• remove: A tame lion, from whose paw he is said to have removed a thorn, is often present.. .

• remain: A YouGov poll for The Daily Telegraph on Friday showed that the " trust " factor remains a thorn in Blair's side.

• become: Whatever the personal perceptions of these people, few believe they were chosen to become thorns in the side of the establishment.

• produce: In Genesis 3:17-19 the ground is cursed by God to produce thorns which will make people's working of the land much harder.

Adjective modifier

• vicious: This is of course due to the vicious thorns, which are not to be taken lightly.

• constant: New signing Danny was a constant thorn in their side.

• sharp: Many species have sharp thorns to protect the foliage from browsing animals.

• real: The month of September highlighted a problem which turned into a real thorn in Palace's side - drawing.

• big: The ' witness ' concept is like a big thorn, used to remove the little thorn of petty ego.

• large: There was a large thorn deeply embedded in the bottom of the foot.

Modifies a noun

• bush: A small thorn bush grows out of the base of a wide crack.

• savanna: Day 8 Today we depart early, heading for progressively drier thorn savanna in this remote southern section of Ethiopia.

• scrub: Steep hillside thorn scrub, some cactus, farmer's field nearby.

• hedge: A thorn hedge stood right across the path which he had known from a child.

• tree: Visitors to St Mary's Quad can still see a thorn tree said to have been planted by Mary Queen of Scots.

• forest: Uxmal is a famous site of impressive Maya ruins amid deciduous thorn forest.

Preposition: in

• side: Sister Sarah was the thorn in the side of every prison Governor in the country.