Meanings of thornback in English

The boy gave a curious half-sad smile, without turning his eyes from the thornback, and said nothing.

It is these purses, and those of the thornback and the edible skate, that we oftenest pick up on the English coast.

These include perch; bream; the john-dory; carp; barbel; salmon; pike; trout; sturgeon; the shark; thornback; lamprey; turbot; plaice; sole; flounder; cod; haddock; &c.

They saw a large turtle, and many skates and thornbacks, but caught none.

Thornbacks are the same as in England.

The THORNBACK differs from the true skate by having large spines in its back, of which the other is destitute.

"Antient maides" were held in little esteem by him; not one thornback is on his list.

Here are also skates, thornbacks, and other fish of the ray kind (one sort especially like the sea-devil), and gar-fish, bonetas, etc.