weed1
[weed]
- a valueless plant growing wild, especially one that grows on cultivated ground to the exclusion or injury of the desired crop.
- any undesirable or troublesome plant, especially one that grows profusely where it is not wanted: The vacant lot was covered with weeds.
- Informal. a cigarette or cigar.
- Slang. a marijuana cigarette.
- a thin, ungainly person or animal.
- a wretched or useless animal, especially a horse unfit for racing or breeding purposes.
- the weed,
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- to free from weeds or troublesome plants; root out weeds from: to weed a garden.
- to root out or remove (a weed or weeds), as from a garden (often followed by out): to weed out crab grass from a lawn.
- to remove as being undesirable, inefficient, or superfluous (often followed by out): to weed out inexperienced players.
- to rid (something) of undesirable or superfluous elements.
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- to remove weeds or the like.
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- (deep) in/into the weeds, Slang.
- (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.
- in trouble; overwhelmed by problems: He knows our marriage is in deep weeds.
- involved in the details: I’m in the weeds of planning my wedding.
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Origin of weed1
before 900; Middle English wede, Old English wēod; cognate with Old Saxon wiod weed, Middle Dutch wiet fern
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for weeding
Contemporary Examples
This system is meant to self-regulate by weeding out the bad eggs.
Transparency and clarity in financial markets have been key factors in weeding out bad actors and fraudsters.
Jupiter trine Pluto, Friday, sees you weeding out buds who try to tone you down.
As one can imagine, this is a huge project: weeding out Muslim infiltrators in the U.S. government.
George Schultz once said that much of diplomacy is merely “weeding the garden.”
Historical Examples
He was "weeding" with both hands and he looked agitated and—yes, frightened.
Thankful's InheritanceJoseph C. Lincoln
They also work in the fields—light work, such as weeding and planting.
The Soul of a PeopleH. Fielding
They have attained this condition by centuries of weeding out the unfit.
The Skylark of SpaceEdward Elmer Smith and Lee Hawkins Garby
Sabrina herself was in the garden now, weeding the balm-bed.
Country NeighborsAlice Brown
That satisfied all parties, and the weeding began that afternoon.
A Missionary TwigEmma L. Burnett
weed1
- any plant that grows wild and profusely, esp one that grows among cultivated plants, depriving them of space, food, etc
- slang
- the weedtobacco
- marijuana
- informal a thin or unprepossessing person
- an inferior horse, esp one showing signs of weakness of constitution
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- to remove (useless or troublesome plants) from (a garden, etc)
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Word Origin
Old English weod; related to Old Saxon wiod, Old High German wiota fern
weed2
- rare a black crepe band worn to indicate mourningSee also weeds
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Word Origin
Old English wǣd, wēd; related to Old Saxon wād, Old High German wāt, Old Norse vāth
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for weeding
weed
v.
"to clear the ground of weeds," late Old English weodian, from the source of weed (n.). Related: Weeded; weeding.
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weed
n.
"plant not valued for use or beauty," Old English weod, uueod "grass, herb, weed," from Proto-Germanic *weud- (cf. Old Saxon wiod, East Frisian wiud), of unknown origin. Meaning "tobacco" is from c.1600; that of "marijuana" is from 1920s.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper