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

It is designed to weed out the insecure and trigger-happy, the reckless hotheads with something to prove.

From Slate • Apr. 13, 2026

India's Election Commission says the revision is meant to weed out duplicate or outdated entries and add genuine voters.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

This later became Micro1, and his screening tool was used to track down, weed out and test all kinds of experts for training AI.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 7, 2026

"It can look down and spray a nozzle when the sensors pick a weed, while we're going around 15 miles an hour," Leguee says.

From BBC • Jan. 19, 2026

“So you didn’t need to be a debutante,” I said, pulling a stray weed.

From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly

Related Words

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