κάρφος, εος, τό,
any small dry body, especially dry stalk, as of the dry sticks of cinnamon, [[ 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 3.111 ] Refs 5th c.BC+]; of rice-straw, [[ 2nd c.AD: Polyaenus Historicus 4.3.32, compare 2nd c.AD: Lucianus Sophista “Herm.” 33 ] Refs 2nd c.AD+]: generally, in plural, dry twigs, chips, straws, bits of wool, such as birds make their nests of, [[ 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Aves” 643, 5th c.BC: Sophron Comicus 32, 4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Historia Animalium” 612b23, “Anthologia Graeca” 10.14 (6th c.AD: Agathias Historicus et Epigrammaticus): collectivelyin _sing._, 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Fragmenta - American Journal of Philology” 24, 4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Historia Animalium” 560b8, 2nd c.AD: Athenaeus Epigrammaticus 5.187c ] Refs 5th c.BC+]: in singular, chip of wood, [[ 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Vespae” 249 ] Refs 5th c.BC+]; toothpick, [[ 4th c.AD: Alciphro Epistolographus 1.22: proverbial, κινοῦσα μηδὲ κ] Refs 4th c.AD+]. 'not stirring an inch', [[ 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Lysistrata” 474, compare 3rd c.BC: Herodas Mimographus 3.67; οὐδὲ κ. ἐβλάβη “epigram Gr.” 980.9 (from Philae)] Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀπὸ τῆς κύλικος κάρφος τῷ μικρῷ δακτύλῳ ἀφαιρετεῖν Ion Hist.1.
__II = Latin festuca, [[ 1st-2nd c.AD: Plutarchus Biographus et Philosophus 2.550b. ] Refs 1st c.AD+]
__III a small piece of wood on which the watchword was written, [[ 2nd c.BC: Polybius Historicus 6.36.3. ] Refs 2nd c.BC+]
__IV in plural, ripe fruit, [[ 2nd c.BC: Nicander Epicus “Alexipharmaca” 230, 491, “Th.” 893, 941. ] Refs 2nd c.BC+]