weed

¹ American  

[weed] / wid /

noun

1. a valueless plant growing wild, especially one that grows on cultivated ground to the exclusion or injury of the desired crop.

2. any undesirable or troublesome plant, especially one that grows profusely where it is not wanted.

   The vacant lot was covered with weeds.

3. Informal. a cigarette or cigar.

4. Slang. a marijuana cigarette.

5. a thin, ungainly person or animal.

6. a wretched or useless animal, especially a horse unfit for racing or breeding purposes.

7. the weed,

   1. Informal. tobacco.

   2. Slang. marijuana.

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verb (used with object)

1. to free from weeds or troublesome plants; root out weeds from.

   to weed a garden.

2. to root out or remove (a weed or weeds), as from a garden (often followed byout ).

   to weed out crab grass from a lawn.

3. to remove as being undesirable, inefficient, or superfluous (often followed byout ).

   to weed out inexperienced players.

4. to rid (something) of undesirable or superfluous elements.

verb (used without object)

1. to remove weeds or the like.

idioms

1. (deep) in / into the weeds, Also in deep weeds

   1. (of a restaurant worker) overwhelmed and falling behind in serving customers.

      Our waitress was so deep in the weeds that we waited 40 minutes for our burgers.

   2. in trouble; overwhelmed by problems.

      He knows our marriage is in deep weeds.

   3. involved in the details.

      I’m in the weeds of planning my wedding.

weed ² American  

[weed] / wid /

noun

1. weeds, mourning garments.

   widow's weeds.

2. a mourning band of black crepe or cloth, as worn on a man's hat or coat sleeve.

3. Archaic. Often weeds

   1. a garment.

      clad in rustic weeds.

   2. clothing.

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Weed ³ American  

[weed] / wid /

noun

1. Thurlow 1797–1882, U.S. journalist and politician.

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weed ¹ British  

/ wiːd /

noun

1. any plant that grows wild and profusely, esp one that grows among cultivated plants, depriving them of space, food, etc

2. slang

   1. tobacco

   2. marijuana

3. informal a thin or unprepossessing person

4. an inferior horse, esp one showing signs of weakness of constitution

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verb

1. to remove (useless or troublesome plants) from (a garden, etc)

weed ² British  

/ wiːd /

noun

1. rare a black crepe band worn to indicate mourning See also weeds

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Other Word Forms

• unweeded adjective
• weeder noun
• weedless adjective
• weedlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of weed¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English wed(e), weid, Old English wēod; cognate with Old Saxon wiod “weed,” Middle Dutch wiet “fern”

Origin of weed²

First recorded before 900; Middle English wed(e), Old English (ge)wǣde, wǣde “garment, clothing”; cognate with Old Saxon wād, gewādi, Old High German wāt, gewāti; wadmal

Example Sentences

“She’s ensnared in a tangle of weeds. They’re caught within her fur, and she cannot escape, Handsome!”

From Literature

I kept the weeds hoed out of Mama’s garden.

From Literature

The new scheme "weeded out" those paid-for actions that were not delivering enough for the environment or food production and that it would "support food production not undermine it", she added.

From BBC

There were plants to prop up that had toppled over in the wind, weeds to pull, strawberries to nibble, and a huge bunch of bananas just green enough to pick.

From Literature

I went to them to look for the pretty weeds and wildflowers that grew in between the rows of people who lived lives long and short before me.

From Salon

Related Words

• drag
• haul
• pick
• pluck
• remove
• rip
• stretch
• take out
• tear
• tow
• trail
• tug
• yank