Definition

1. Noun (plural):
   • A black garment worn by a widow as a sign of mourning: The word "weeds" specifically refers to the mourning clothes, traditionally black, worn by a widow. This is an archaic or formal usage.
   • Unwanted plants: In its more common and modern usage, "weeds" refers to wild plants growing where they are not wanted, especially among cultivated plants.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Mourning Garment):

  • The widow was dressed in her somber weeds.
  • In Victorian times, a woman was expected to wear weeds for a prescribed period.

• Noun (Unwanted Plants):

  • The garden is full of weeds that need to be pulled.
  • We sprayed to kill the weeds growing between the patio stones.

Advanced Usage

• "Widow's weeds": This is the standard and most recognized phrase for the mourning garment meaning.

  • She appeared at the funeral in full widow's weeds.

• Figurative use for "unwanted plants": Can be used metaphorically for anything undesirable that spreads or intrudes.

  • Corruption is a weed that chokes honest enterprise.

Variants and Related Words

• Weed (noun, singular): A single unwanted plant or a single type of such plant.
  • That is a particularly stubborn weed.
• Weed (verb): To remove unwanted plants.
  • I need to weed the flower beds this weekend.
• Weedy (adjective): 1. Full of or resembling weeds. 2. (Informal) Thin and physically weak.
  • The lot was weedy and neglected.
  • He was a weedy young man.

Synonyms

• For mourning garments: Mourning attire, black garments, mourning clothes.
• For unwanted plants: Unwanted vegetation, invasive plants, pests.

Related Phrases

• "Grow like a weed": To grow very quickly and vigorously (usually referring to a child).
  • Your son has grown like a weed since I last saw him!
• "Weed out" (phrasal verb): To remove unwanted or inferior items or people from a group.
  • The first round of interviews will weed out the unqualified candidates.

Noun

1. a black garment (dress) worn by a widow as a sign of mourning