ENGLISH
REFERENCE

bamboo

n. · adj. · v.
US //bæmˈbu// bam·boo
  1. 1 the plant (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    a tall tropical plant with hard, hollow stems that grows very quickly.

    any of the various fast-growing grasses of the subfamily Bambusoideae, characterized by hollow, jointed stems.

    Example

    Pandas spend most of their day eating the leaves and shoots of bamboo.

    Example

    The botanical garden features a dense grove of timber bamboo that reaches heights of over twenty metres in a single season.
  2. 2 the material (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    the wood from the bamboo plant used to make things like floors or furniture.

    the harvested wood of the bamboo plant utilized as a sustainable material for construction, textiles, and furniture.

    Example

    We decided to install bamboo flooring because it is environmentally friendly.

    Example

    Architects are increasingly specifying bamboo for structural elements due to its high strength-to-weight ratio and rapid renewability.
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  1. 3 made of bamboo (adj.)
    A2 Elementary

    made from the wood or fibers of the bamboo plant.

    constructed from or composed of bamboo wood or processed bamboo fibers.

    Example

    She bought a set of bamboo steaming baskets for cooking dumplings.

    Example

    The artisan displayed a collection of bamboo flutes, each hand-carved to produce a unique tonal quality.
  2. 4 to hit with a cane (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Archaic Formal

    to hit someone with a stick made of bamboo as a punishment.

    to perform corporal punishment by striking an individual with a bamboo cane.

    Example

    In the old school records, some students were bambooed for breaking the rules.

    Example

    Historical accounts of the colonial penal system describe how prisoners were frequently bambooed for even the most minor infractions of discipline.

    Usage

    This verb is transitive and requires a direct object.
Idioms1 entry

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