weeding

UK: /ˈwiːdɪŋ/

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

weed¹ /wid/   n. 

1. Botany [countable] an undesirable or unwanted plant growing wild, esp. one that takes food or nourishment from a crop, lawn, or flower bed.
2. [countable] [Slang.] a cigarette.
3. Drugs the weed, [uncountable]
   • Informal Terms tobacco.
   • Slang Terms marijuana.

v. 

4. Botany to free from weeds: [~ + object]
   to weed a garden.
   [no object]
   She was weeding in the garden.
5. to remove as being unwanted or unneeded: [~ + out + object]
   The coach had to weed out the inexperienced players.
   [~ + object + out]
   to weed them out.

weed•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

weed¹  (wēd), n. 

1. Botany a valueless plant growing wild, esp. one that grows on cultivated ground to the exclusion or injury of the desired crop.
2. Botany any undesirable or troublesome plant, esp. one that grows profusely where it is not wanted:
   The vacant lot was covered with weeds.
3. [Informal.] a cigarette or cigar.
4. Drugs, Slang Terms [Slang.] a marijuana cigarette.
5. a thin, ungainly person or animal.
6. a wretched or useless animal, esp. a horse unfit for racing or breeding purposes.
7. Drugs the weed:
   • Informal Terms tobacco.
   • Slang Terms marijuana.

v.t. 

8. Botany to free from weeds or troublesome plants;
   root out weeds from:
   to weed a garden.
9. Botany to root out or remove (a weed or weeds), as from a garden (often fol. by out):
   to weed out crab grass from a lawn.
10. to remove as being undesirable, inefficient, or superfluous (often fol. by out):
    to weed out inexperienced players.
11. to rid (something) of undesirable or superfluous elements.

v.i. 

12. to remove weeds or the like.

• bef. 900; Middle English wede, Old English wēod; cognate with Old Saxon wiod weed, Middle Dutch wiet fern

weed′less, adj. 
weed′like′, adj. 

weed²  (wēd), n. 

1. Clothing weeds, mourning garments:
   widow's weeds.
2. Clothing a mourning band of black crepe or cloth, as worn on a man's hat or coat sleeve.
3. Clothing Often, weeds. [Archaic.]
   • a garment:
     clad in rustic weeds.
   • clothing.

• bef. 900; Middle English wede, Old English wǣd, (ge)wǣde garment, clothing; cognate with Old Saxon wād, gewādi, Old High German wāt, gewāti clothing; compare wadmal

Weed  (wēd), n. 

Thur•low  (thûr′lō), 1797–1882, U.S. journalist and politician.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

weed / wiːd/ noun

1. any plant that grows wild and profusely, esp one that grows among cultivated plants, depriving them of space, food, etc
2. marijuana
3. the weed ⇒ tobacco
4. a thin or unprepossessing person
5. an inferior horse, esp one showing signs of weakness of constitution

verb

1. to remove (useless or troublesome plants) from (a garden, etc)

Etymology: Old English weod; related to Old Saxon wiod, Old High German wiota fern

ˈweeder noun

ˈweedless adjective

weed / wiːd/ noun

1. a black crepe band worn to indicate mourning
   See also weeds

Etymology: Old English wǣd, wēd; related to Old Saxon wād, Old High German wāt, Old Norse vāth