The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Briar \Bri"ar\, n.
   Same as Brier.
   [1913 Webster]

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]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

briar
    n 1: Eurasian rose with prickly stems and fragrant leaves and
         bright pink flowers followed by scarlet hips [syn:
         sweetbrier, sweetbriar, brier, briar, eglantine,
         Rosa eglanteria]
    2: 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]
    3: 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]
    4: a pipe made from the root (briarroot) of the tree heath [syn:
       briar, briar pipe]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

44 Moby Thesaurus words for "briar":
   adherent, adhesive, barnacle, bramble, brier, 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



U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000):

Briar, TX -- U.S. Census Designated Place in Texas
   Population (2000):    5350
   Housing Units (2000): 2105
   Land area (2000):     20.572656 sq. miles (53.282933 sq. km)
   Water area (2000):    0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
   Total area (2000):    20.572656 sq. miles (53.282933 sq. km)
   FIPS code:            10192
   Located within:       Texas (TX), FIPS 48
   Location:             32.973507 N, 97.540710 W
   ZIP Codes (1990):
   Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
   Headwords:
    Briar, TX
    Briar