withy
Americannoun
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a willow.
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a pliable branch or twig, especially a withe.
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a band, loop, halter, or rope of slender twigs; widdy.
adjective
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made of pliable branches or twigs, especially of withes.
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flexible; pliable.
noun
adjective
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(of people) tough and agile
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rare resembling a withe in strength or flexibility
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of withy
before 1000; Middle English; Old English wīthig; akin to withe, Old Norse vīthir, Old High German wīda, Greek ītéa willow, Latin vītis vine
Vocabulary lists containing withy
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The HCA estimates the number of professional withy pot-makers is now in single figures and those who remain use it as a sideline to their main income.
From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2020
“Seismicity is a feature of mining in the region and deep-level mining layouts and support systems have been designed specifically to cope withy seismicity,” Neal Froneman said in a presentation to investors.
From Reuters ● Jun. 7, 2018
A wastle is a North country term for a twig or withy, possibly connected with A. S. wædl.
From Popular Rhymes and Nursery Tales A Sequel to the Nursery Rhymes of England by Halliwell-Phillipps, J. O. (James Orchard)
And what's the ivy but Clan Gordon, and the peeled withy but hurry, and—surely that will be doing for the reading of a very simple tale.
From John Splendid The Tale of a Poor Gentleman, and the Little Wars of Lorn by Munro, Neil
The men wore golden earrings, and bought 'Black Sally,' a withy that has a dark bark, for pegs, and 'bolts' of osier for basket-making.
From The Amateur Poacher by Jefferies, Richard
The sculptures were woven from willow withies at Martin’s workshop in Devon, where he created the work in sections.
From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2023
Finally, we came upon this man's workshop, and the withies were fabulous.
From Time Magazine Archive
There was only one flaw in the cement, and that quite a little one, patched with clay and willow withies, but the water—the brown, treacherous water—found it out, and worked silently and steadily all night.
From Lives of the Fur Folk by Haviland, M. D.
Jean was bound firmly to a strong hurdle, made of birch stems and withies securely lashed together.
From The Forest of Vazon A Guernsey Legend of the Eighth Century by Anonymous
Soon, full soon, they will be here, Twisting withies for the bier; Under a heathen yew-tree's shade Will a wasted heart be laid— Heart that never dared be dear.
From Ionica by Cory, William (AKA William Johnson)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
