weeds
/wi:dz/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- 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
- a black garment (dress) worn by a widow as a sign of mourning