bough
/bau/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: A main branch of a tree. It refers specifically to one of the larger, primary limbs growing directly from the trunk or from another main branch, not a small twig.
Usage
The word "bough" is used to describe a substantial, often load-bearing branch of a tree. It is a more formal or literary term than "branch" and often evokes an image of a large, sturdy limb, especially one that might bear fruit, flowers, or support weight (like a swing or a person).
Examples
- The heavy snow weighed down the boughs of the pine trees.
- She sat on a sturdy bough of the old oak to read her book.
- In spring, the apple tree's boughs are covered in blossoms.
Advanced Usage
- Poetic/Literary Use: "Bough" is frequently used in poetry and descriptive writing for its rhythmic quality and evocative imagery.
- Example: "Under the boughs of the whispering willow, they found shade."
- Set Phrases: It appears in classic phrases and idioms.
- Example: "When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall..." (from the nursery rhyme "Rock-a-bye Baby").
Variants and Related Words
- Branch: The more common and general term for any limb of a tree, of any size.
- Limb: A synonym for a large primary branch, often used interchangeably with "bough" but can sound slightly more technical.
- Twig: A very small, thin branch.
- Trunk: The main central stem of a tree from which boughs grow.
Synonyms
Limb, arm (of a tree), major branch.
Antonyms
Twig, sprig, shoot.
Idioms and Phrases
- To bend the bough: To exert great pressure or force; to push something to its limit (archaic/figurative).
- When the bough breaks: Often used to signify a point of catastrophic failure or the collapse of a support system, originating from the famous lullaby.
Noun
- any of the larger branches of a tree