Definition

1. Noun:
   • A plant fiber: A strong, durable natural fiber obtained from the stems of the cannabis plant, used historically and currently for making rope, textiles, and paper.
   • Any plant of the genus Cannabis: A coarse, bushy annual plant with palmate leaves and clusters of small green flowers, cultivated for its fiber (hemp) and, in some varieties, for narcotic drugs.
   • A rope for hanging: A rope made from hemp fiber, historically used by a hangman to execute persons condemned to death by hanging.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Plant Fiber):
  • The sails were made from sturdy hemp.
  • Hemp is an eco-friendly material for clothing.
• Noun (The Plant):
  • The field was full of tall hemp plants.
  • Industrial hemp has very low levels of THC.
• Noun (Hanging Rope):
  • The condemned man faced the hemp. (This is an archaic or literary usage.)

Advanced Usage

• "Hemp seed": The seed of the hemp plant, used for food and oil.
  • Hemp seed is a nutritious addition to smoothies.
• "Hempcrete": A building material made from hemp hurds (the woody inner part of the stem) mixed with lime.
  • The house was built using sustainable hempcrete walls.

Variants and Related Words

• Hempy (adj., archaic): Resembling hemp.
• Hempseed (n): The seed of the hemp plant.
• Hemp palm (n): A different plant (Trachycarpus fortunei), also used for fiber, not a true hemp.

Synonyms

• Cannabis (for the plant genus).
• Fiber (in the context of the material).
• Rope (specifically when referring to the material or the hanging implement).

Related Phrases

• Hemp and tow (idiom, archaic): Refers to the coarse parts of the flax or hemp plant, sometimes used to mean something of little value or the common populace.
  • He cared not for the opinions of hemp and tow.

Notes on Meaning

• The primary modern meanings focus on the plant () and the fiber it produces.
• The "hanging rope" meaning is historical and largely obsolete in everyday language but persists in literary or historical contexts.
• It is crucial to distinguish between industrial hemp (cultivated for fiber and seed, low in psychoactive compounds) and other cannabis varieties cultivated for narcotic purposes. The word "hemp" itself typically refers to the fiber-producing plant.

Noun

1. a rope that is used by a hangman to execute persons who have been condemned to death by hanging
2. any plant of the genus Cannabis; a coarse bushy annual with palmate leaves and clusters of small green flowers; yields tough fibers and narcotic drugs
3. a plant fiber