deadwood

American  

[ded-wood] / ˈdɛdˌwʊd /

noun

1. the dead branches on a tree; dead branches or trees.

2. useless or burdensome persons or things.

   He cut the deadwood from his staff.

3. (in writing) unnecessary words, phrases, or exposition; expendable verbiage.

   This could be a thoughtful and incisive essay if you get rid of the deadwood.

4. Nautical. a solid construction, serving only as reinforcement, located between the keel of a vessel and the stem or sternpost.

5. Bowling. pins remaining on the alley after having been knocked down by the ball.

6. Cards.

   1. Rummy. cards in a hand that have not been included in sets and are usually counted as points against the holder.

   2. Poker. cards that have been discarded.

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deadwood British  

/ ˈdɛdˌwʊd /

noun

1. dead trees or branches

2. informal a useless person; encumbrance

3. nautical a filler piece between the keel and the stern of a wooden vessel

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Etymology

Origin of deadwood

First recorded in 1720–30; dead + wood ¹

Example Sentences

He says: "We repeatedly found seedlings and adults with juvenile root structures near decaying logs, not scattered randomly in the forest. That recurring pattern inspired us to test whether deadwood fungi fuel orchid beginnings."

From Science Daily

English oaks are losing leaves on the canopy and producing deadwood, he says, and Norway Maple and magnolias are showing signs of stress.

From BBC

He will reshape the culture, clear out the deadwood and refine the focus on competition.

From Los Angeles Times

Their grazing also reduced fire hazards, as did local families collecting deadwood to burn in the winter.

From Seattle Times

West: A century of firefighting, elimination of Indigenous burning, logging of large fire-resistant trees, and other management practices that allowed small trees, undergrowth and deadwood to choke forests.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• unnecessary