thorny

英 [ˈθɔːni]

美 [ˈθɔːrni]

adj. 棘手的; 麻烦的; 引起争议的; 有刺的; 多刺的

最高级：thorniest　比较级：thornier　

Collins.1 / BNC.18411 / COCA.13200

牛津词典

adj.

棘手的；麻烦的；引起争议的
causing difficulty or disagreement
1. a thorny question/issue/problem
  棘手的问题
有刺的；多刺的
having thorns
1. a thorny bush
  有刺的灌木

ADJ (植物、树木)带刺的，多刺的
Athornyplant or tree is covered with thorns.
1. ...thorny hawthorn trees.
  长满刺的山楂树
ADJ-GRADED (问题)棘手的，复杂难解的，令人头疼的
If you describe a problem asthorny, you mean that it is very complicated and difficult to solve, and that people are often unwilling to discuss it.
1. ...the thorny issue of immigration policy...
  移民政策这个棘手问题
2. It is essential that we tackle this thorny problem.
  我们很有必要处理这个棘手问题。

adj

Now we come to the thorny question of cost.
现在我们来讨论成本这个棘手的问题。
Its relations with international rulemakers can be thorny: think of the World Trade Organisation.
美国与国际规则制定者之间的关系常常很棘手：例如和世界贸易组织。
It is essential that we tackle this thorny problem.
我们很有必要处理这个棘手问题。
The Volvo sale also raises some thorny issues for Ford.
出售沃尔沃也给福特带来了一些棘手的问题。
The thorny question of states 'rights.
关于国家权利的棘手问题。
In Japan, though, this is proving a particularly thorny problem.
然而在日本，事实证明这是一个尤其棘手的问题。
The concept has fascinated security experts, but there are thorny technical problems.
这个理念令安全专家深深着迷，但其中也存在棘手的技术难题。
It helps answer many thorny questions related to SOA: What services are available?
这可帮助回答很多有关SOA的问题：提供了哪些服务？
Thorny issues such as women's role in agriculture and land tenure rights must also be tackled.
还必须解决女性在农业中的作用以及土地权等棘手的问题。
A broad question& but also a thorny one in this circumstance.
这是一个很宽泛的问题，但考虑到提问背景，这也是一个很尖锐的问题。