onion-grass

onion-grass

A gardener pulls onion-grass from a flower bed.

Definition

Noun: - A type of wild grass, specifically the plant Arrhenatherum elatius (also known as wild oat grass or false oat-grass), characterized by its onion-like bulbous base. This plant is often considered a weed in agricultural settings.

Usage Examples
  • (Removing a weed with a bulbous base.)
  • (Describing a key identifying feature of the plant.)
Advanced Usage
  • "to be overrun with onion-grass": to have an excessive growth of this weed.

    • The pasture was overrun with onion-grass, making it unsuitable for grazing. (The field was heavily infested with this weed.)
  • "onion-grass infestation": a situation where this plant spreads aggressively.

    • An onion-grass infestation can reduce crop yields significantly. (A large presence of this weed harms agricultural output.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Onion-grass (variant spelling): The term is sometimes written as "onion grass" without a hyphen.

    • The lawn was full of onion grass, which smells like onions when cut. (A weed with an onion-like odor.)
  • Onion couch (synonym): Another common name for the same plant.

    • Onion couch is difficult to eradicate once established. (A persistent weed in gardens.)
Synonyms
  • Wild oat grass: A common name for .
  • False oat-grass: Another name for this species, referring to its resemblance to true oat grasses.
  • Onion twitch: An old-fashioned term for the same plant.
Related Idioms
  • "As stubborn as onion-grass": Used to describe something or someone very difficult to remove or eliminate.

    • That habit is as stubborn as onion-grass; it keeps coming back no matter what I do. (A persistent problem or tendency.)
  • "To root out like onion-grass": To completely eradicate something, especially a problem or nuisance.

    • The committee vowed to root out corruption like onion-grass. (To remove something thoroughly.)