weed

[ weed ]

/ wid /

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noun

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,

Informal. tobacco.
Slang. marijuana.

verb (used with object)

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.

verb (used without object)

to remove weeds or the like.

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Idioms about weed

(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.

Also in deep weeds .

Origin of weed

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

OTHER WORDS FROM weed

weedless, adjectiveweedlike, adjectiveun·weed·ed, adjective

Other definitions for weed (2 of 3)

weed²

[ weed ]

/ wid /

noun

weeds, mourning garments: widow's weeds.

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

Often weeds .Archaic.

a garment: clad in rustic weeds.
clothing.

Origin of weed

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; cf. wadmal

Other definitions for weed (3 of 3)

Weed

[ weed ]

/ wid /

noun

Thur·low

[thur-loh], /ˈθɜr loʊ/, 1797–1882, U.S. journalist and politician.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use weed in a sentence

He went to a dispensary, an essential business in his state, and stocked up on weed.
How the pandemic got people smoking again|Melinda Fakuade|November 12, 2020|Vox
As teens, my friends and I smoked shag weed and smashed cans of Mountain Dew together like Stone Cold Steve Austin there.
Mushroom Hunting at the End of the World|Danny Palumbo|November 12, 2020|Eater
As highway work progressed, a crew with a great roaring wood chipper arrived on the traffic island to grind up weeds.
How passion, luck and sweat saved some of North America’s rarest plants|Susan Milius|November 5, 2020|Science News
He urged the state to “please consider creating guidelines for the educational process but avoid getting into the weeds.”
Sacramento Report: Enforcement Questions Loom Over Schools, Nursing Homes|Kara Grant and Jared Whitlock|October 30, 2020|Voice of San Diego

Still, given that we were writing about this in 2008, and the offers still pop up like weeds before every election, there’s little chance that the powers that be will actually enforce it this year.
Where to find food and drink specials for Election Day 2020|Fritz Hahn|October 30, 2020|Washington Post
This system is meant to self-regulate by weeding out the bad eggs.
Inside Uber’s Political War Machine|Olivia Nuzzi|June 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Transparency and clarity in financial markets have been key factors in weeding out bad actors and fraudsters.
How Is America Really Doing? Wharton’s Idea for Better Accountability|Peter Schweizer|July 6, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Jupiter trine Pluto, Friday, sees you weeding out buds who try to tone you down.
Horoscopes for June 12-18, 2011|Starsky + Cox|June 12, 2011|DAILY BEAST
We'll keep weeding out the troublesome ones, keep fattening and hobbling the submissive ones.
The Extinction Parade: An Original Zombie Story by Max Brooks|Max Brooks|January 14, 2011|DAILY BEAST
As one can imagine, this is a huge project: weeding out Muslim infiltrators in the U.S. government.
The Charlatans Have Taken Over 9/11|Reza Aslan|September 9, 2010|DAILY BEAST
The children are engaged in weeding while he waters the beds or prepares the tobacco field for the planting of the tobacco.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce|E. R. Billings.
As soon as you can tell "which is which" the work of weeding must begin.
Amateur Gardencraft|Eben E. Rexford
Green things were growing—young onions—and the man who was weeding them paused from his labour long enough to sell me a handful.
Revolution and Other Essays|Jack London
So I pulled my sunbonnet over my face, and went to weeding the flowerbeds, to get cool.
Continental Monthly, Vol. 4, No 3, September 1863|Various
You have now something of more importance to think about and talk about, than about planting and weeding your garden.
The Sheepfold and the Common, Vol. II (of 2)|Timothy East

British Dictionary definitions for weed (1 of 2)

weed¹

/ (wiːd) /

noun

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

slang

the weed tobacco
marijuana

informal a thin or unprepossessing person

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

verb

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

Derived forms of weed

weeder, nounweedless, adjectiveweedlike, adjective

Word Origin for weed

Old English weod; related to Old Saxon wiod, Old High German wiota fern

British Dictionary definitions for weed (2 of 2)

weed²

/ (wiːd) /

noun

rare a black crepe band worn to indicate mourningSee also weeds

Word Origin for weed

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

weed

Idioms about weed

Origin of weed

OTHER WORDS FROM weed

Other definitions for weed (2 of 3)

Origin of weed

Other definitions for weed (3 of 3)

Words related to weed

How to use weed in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for weed (1 of 2)

Derived forms of weed

Word Origin for weed

British Dictionary definitions for weed (2 of 2)

Word Origin for weed