Definition

Noun: 1. The rounded seed capsule of certain plants, especially cotton or flax: A boll is the rounded, protective, seed-bearing fruit or pod of specific plants, most notably the cotton plant. It is a type of capsule that splits open when mature to release the seeds and, in the case of cotton, the valuable fibers attached to them.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The cotton fields were white with open bolls. (The fields were covered with mature cotton capsules that had split open.)
  • Farmers monitor the bolls closely to determine the optimal harvest time. (Farmers watch the seed capsules to decide the best time for picking.)
  • A single cotton boll contains many seeds surrounded by lint. (One cotton pod holds numerous seeds covered in the raw cotton fibers.)

Advanced Usage

• "Boll weevil": A specific insect pest () that lays its eggs in and feeds on cotton bolls, historically causing significant damage to cotton crops.
  • The boll weevil infestation devastated the cotton industry in the early 20th century.
• "Boll rot": A plant disease, often fungal, that causes the boll to decay.
  • Excessive rainfall can lead to boll rot, ruining the crop.

Variants and Related Words

• Bollworm (n): A type of moth larva (e.g., cotton bollworm) that bores into and feeds on the bolls of cotton and other plants.
  • The farmer used integrated pest management to control bollworms.

Synonyms

• Capsule: (Botany) A dry fruit that splits open to release seeds.
• Pod: A general term for a seed container, especially in legumes, but can be used informally for bolls.
• Seed case: A descriptive term for a protective structure containing seeds.

Related Phrases

(Note: "Boll" itself is not commonly used in phrasal verbs. The related phrases are typically compound nouns.)

Related Idioms

(Note: There are no common idioms centered solely on the word "boll.")

Noun

1. the rounded seed-bearing capsule of a cotton or flax plant