The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Brier \Bri"er\, Briar \Bri"ar\ (br[imac]"[~e]r), n. [OE. brere,
   brer, AS. br[=e]r, br[ae]r; cf. Ir. briar prickle, thorn,
   brier, pin, Gael. preas bush, brier, W. prys, prysg.]
   1. A plant with a slender woody stem bearing stout prickles;
      especially, species of Rosa, Rubus, and Smilax.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Fig.: Anything sharp or unpleasant to the feelings.
      [1913 Webster]

            The thorns and briers of reproof.     --Cowper.
      [1913 Webster]

   Brier root, the root of the southern Smilax laurifolia
      and Smilax Walteri; -- used for tobacco pipes. See also
      2nd brier.

   Cat brier, Green brier, several species of Smilax
      (Smilax rotundifolia, etc.)

   Sweet brier (Rosa rubiginosa). See Sweetbrier.

   Yellow brier, the Rosa Eglantina.
      [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Brier \Bri"er\, n.
   1. the white heath Erica arborea. --RHUD.
      [PJC]

   2. a smoking pipe made of the root of the brier[1].

   Note: Brierroot seems to have been used formerly as a term
         meaning root of the Smilax laurifolia and is now
         defined as root of the Erica arborea. Not clear when
         this changed. -- PJC.
         [PJC]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

brier
    n 1: tangled mass of prickly plants [syn: brier, brierpatch,
         brier patch]
    2: a thorny stem or twig
    3: Eurasian rose with prickly stems and fragrant leaves and
       bright pink flowers followed by scarlet hips [syn:
       sweetbrier, sweetbriar, brier, briar, eglantine,
       Rosa eglanteria]
    4: a very prickly woody vine of the eastern United States
       growing in tangled masses having tough round stems with shiny
       leathery leaves and small greenish flowers followed by
       clusters of inedible shiny black berries [syn: bullbrier,
       greenbrier, catbrier, horse brier, horse-brier,
       brier, briar, Smilax rotundifolia]
    5: evergreen treelike Mediterranean shrub having fragrant white
       flowers in large terminal panicles and hard woody roots used
       to make tobacco pipes [syn: tree heath, briar, brier,
       Erica arborea]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

43 Moby Thesaurus words for "brier":
   adherent, adhesive, barnacle, bramble, brier bush, bristle,
   bulldog, burr, bush, cactus, catchweed, cement, cleavers, decal,
   decalcomania, glue, goose grass, gunk, leech, limpet, molasses,
   mucilage, needle, nettle, paste, pine needle, plaster, prickle,
   quill, remora, scrub, shrub, shrubbery, spicule, spiculum, spike,
   spikelet, spine, sticker, syrup, thistle, thorn, yucca



Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary:

Brier
   This word occurs frequently, and is the translation of several
   different terms. (1.) Micah 7:4, it denotes a species of thorn
   shrub used for hedges. In Prov. 15:19 the word is rendered
   "thorn" (Heb. _hedek_, "stinging"), supposed by some to be what
   is called the "apple of Sodom" (q.v.).

     (2.) Ezek. 28:24, _sallon'_, properly a "prickle," such as is
   found on the shoots of the palm tree.

     (3.) Isa. 55:13, probably simply a thorny bush. Some,
   following the Vulgate Version, regard it as the "nettle."

     (4.) Isa. 5:6; 7:23-25, etc., frequently used to denote thorny
   shrubs in general. In 10:17; 27:4, it means troublesome men.

     (5.) In Heb. 6:8 the Greek word (tribolos) so rendered means
   "three-pronged," and denotes the land caltrop, a low throny
   shrub resembling in its spikes the military "crow-foot." Comp.
   Matt. 7:16, "thistle."


U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000):

Brier, WA -- U.S. city in Washington
   Population (2000):    6383
   Housing Units (2000): 2115
   Land area (2000):     2.130056 sq. miles (5.516820 sq. km)
   Water area (2000):    0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
   Total area (2000):    2.130056 sq. miles (5.516820 sq. km)
   FIPS code:            07940
   Located within:       Washington (WA), FIPS 53
   Location:             47.790019 N, 122.273068 W
   ZIP Codes (1990):     98036
   Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
   Headwords:
    Brier, WA
    Brier