dowsing-rod
Definition
- Noun:
- Divining tool: A "dowsing-rod" is a forked stick or rod, traditionally made of hazel or willow, used in the practice of dowsing to locate underground water, minerals, or other hidden substances. The rod is believed to react or move when the dowser passes over the target.
Usage Examples
- (He employed the forked stick as a tool for locating water underground.)
- (She grasped the rod lightly, anticipating its movement as a sign of hidden resources.)
Advanced Usage
"to walk with a dowsing-rod": to move slowly while holding the rod, searching for a specific substance.
- The dowser walked across the field with a dowsing-rod, hoping to detect a mineral vein. (He moved methodically, relying on the rod's supposed sensitivity.)
"a dowsing-rod's response": the physical reaction of the rod (e.g., dipping, crossing, or twitching) that indicates a find.
- The dowsing-rod's response was a sharp downward pull over the buried pipe. (The rod moved suddenly, signalling an underground object.)
Variants and Related Words
- Dowsing (n): the practice of searching for underground water or minerals using a rod or pendulum.
- Dowsing is considered a pseudoscience by many scientists. (The method lacks empirical support.)
- Dowser (n): a person who uses a dowsing-rod.
- The dowser claimed his rod could find lost objects. (The practitioner asserted the rod's power.)
- Divining rod (n): an alternative term for "dowsing-rod" (often used interchangeably).
- He cut a divining rod from a willow branch. (He fashioned a forked stick for dowsing.)
Synonyms
- Divining rod: a rod used for the same purpose as a dowsing-rod.
- Water witch: a colloquial term for a person or tool used in dowsing (though "water witch" more often refers to the person).
Related Idioms
- "Like a dowsing-rod": used metaphorically to describe something that seems to instinctively find or detect something.
- Her intuition was like a dowsing-rod for hidden truths. (Her instinct seemed to locate secrets effortlessly.)