weed
unwanted wild plant
A plant that grows in a place where people do not want it, for example in a garden or in a field of crops.
pull [weeds] from [a place]
- I spent the afternoon pulling weeds from the flower beds.
- If you don't remove the weeds, they'll take over the lawn.
- The vegetable patch is full of weeds after all that rain.
- She sprayed weed killer along the driveway to stop the weeds coming back.
- Tall weeds were growing between the cracks in the pavement.
- There are many weeds in our garden.
- He pulls the weeds from the grass every weekend.
- We used a tool to cut the weeds.
- The farmer wants a clean field with no weeds.
- Rain helps the weeds grow very fast.
marijuana, cannabis (slang)
Marijuana; a drug made from the cannabis plant that people often smoke to feel relaxed or high.
smoke [weed] with [someone]
- He got arrested for carrying a small amount of weed.
- They went behind the building to smoke some weed.
- In some states, it's now legal to buy weed from licensed shops.
- She said she used weed to help her relax after work.
- The smell of weed drifted in from the balcony next door.
- They were smoking weed in the park at night.
- In this country it is illegal to sell weed.
- Some people think weed is not very dangerous, but others disagree.
- The police found weed in his car.
- He stopped using weed because it made him anxious.
remove weeds from ground
To take weeds out of the ground in a garden, field, or other place so that good plants can grow well.
weed [a garden/area]
- I need to weed the garden before the guests arrive.
- She spent the morning weeding the paths between the raised beds.
- We try to weed the vegetable patch every week during the summer.
- He carefully weeded around the young tomato plants.
- If you don't weed regularly, the garden soon looks messy.
- Today I will weed the garden.
- She weeds the flowers every Saturday.
- We must weed this area before we plant new trees.
- He is weeding the small plants by hand.
- They did not weed the field, so many weeds grew.
weak or timid person (insult)
A person who seems weak, thin, or not brave, used as a rude or unkind word.
call [someone] a weed
- He used to be a skinny little weed at school, but now he's really fit.
- Don't be such a weed—stand up for yourself.
- She thought he was a bit of a weed and not her type at all.
- The coach called him a weed for avoiding every tackle.
- In those days I was a nervous weed who hated speaking in public.
- His brother calls him a weed because he is very thin.
- She thinks he is a weed and not very brave.
- When I was a child, I was a little weed in my class.
- He felt like a weed next to all the strong players.
- They laughed at him and called him a weed.
plant growing in water
A plant that grows in water, especially in the sea or in a lake or river.
[weed] grows in [water/place]
- Thick green weed was drifting just below the surface of the pond.
- They had to clear the weed from the canal so boats could pass.
- Fish were hiding in the long strands of weed.
- The beach was covered in rotting weed after the storm.
- Divers reported heavy weed growth near the shore.
- There is a lot of weed in the pond.
- The boat could not move because weed blocked the river.
- Fish like to hide in the weed under the water.
- After the storm, weed washed up on the beach.
- They removed the weed from the small lake.
mourning clothes (usually plural)
Old or literary word for special dark clothes that people, especially widows, wear to show they are in mourning, usually said as "weeds".
wear [widow's] weeds
- She appeared at the funeral in full widow's weeds.
- In her black weeds, she looked years older than before.
- The novel opens with the heroine still in her weeds after her husband's death.
- After a year she put aside her weeds and began to wear colour again.
- The portrait shows her in heavy weeds and a dark veil.
- In old stories, widows often wear weeds.
- She is still in her weeds after her husband died.
- The painting shows a woman in black weeds.
- After one year, she took off her weeds and wore blue again.
- The writer describes the old woman in widow's weeds.
- Base: weed
- Plural: weed, weeds
- Base: weed
- 3rd Person Singular: weeds
- Present Participle: weeding
- Past: weeded
in the weeds
1overwhelmed and far behind
To be very busy and behind with your work, with more problems or tasks than you can handle, especially in restaurants or busy jobs.
- Sorry I didn't reply—I was really in the weeds at work yesterday.
- The servers were in the weeds as soon as the dinner rush started.
- We're a bit in the weeds on this project, but we'll catch up.
smoke weed
1use marijuana by smoking it
To smoke marijuana to feel relaxed or high.
- They used to smoke weed together after class.
- He says he doesn't smoke weed anymore because it makes him paranoid.
- Some people only smoke weed on weekends to relax.
weed control
1methods to reduce weed growth
Ways to stop or slow the growth of weeds, for example by using chemicals, tools, or ground covers.
- Good weed control is essential for healthy crops.
- The farmer invested in better weed control to increase his yields.
- Mulch can be an effective form of weed control in home gardens.
weed eater
1powered grass and weed trimmer
Another informal name for a garden machine with a spinning string that cuts grass and weeds, like a weed whacker.
- He grabbed the weed eater to clean up the yard edges.
- The battery on the weed eater died halfway through the job.
- She prefers a light weed eater because it's easier to carry.
weed killer
1chemical that kills weeds
A chemical that you put on the ground or on plants to kill weeds.
- He sprayed weed killer along the fence line.
- Make sure you buy a lawn-safe weed killer so you don't damage the grass.
- Some gardeners prefer not to use weed killer for environmental reasons.
weed out
1remove unwanted members from a group
To remove people or things that are not good, not needed, or not wanted from a larger group.
- The company is trying to weed out underperforming staff.
- These tests help us weed out the weakest candidates.
- Regular audits are used to weed out corruption in the system.
weed the garden
1remove weeds from a garden
To take weeds out of a garden so that flowers or vegetables can grow well.
- I usually weed the garden on Sunday mornings.
- She asked the kids to weed the garden before they played video games.
- If we don't weed the garden soon, the vegetables will struggle.
weed whacker
1powered tool for cutting weeds
A garden machine with a long handle and a fast-spinning string that cuts grass and weeds, usually used around edges and fences.
- He trimmed the long grass with a weed whacker.
- The noise from the weed whacker woke up the whole street.
- You'll need a weed whacker to clean up around those fence posts.
widow's weeds
1a widow's mourning clothes
Old or literary phrase for the black clothes a woman wears after her husband dies to show she is in mourning.
- She sat by the window in her widow's weeds, staring at the street below.
- The painting shows the queen in heavy widow's weeds.
- After a year she laid aside her widow's weeds and travelled abroad.