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

1. any of the larger branches of a tree