weed

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Informal · Slang

n. a common slang name for the drug cannabis.

n. an informal, widely used designation for cannabis or marijuana.

“He was caught smoking weed behind the school building.”

“The legalisation of weed in several jurisdictions has led to a significant shift in public perception and law enforcement priorities.”

C1 · Advanced Countable noun British English · Informal

n. a person who is physically weak or has no strength.

n. a person perceived as physically weak, puny, or lacking in stamina.

“The older boys called him a weed because he couldn't lift the heavy box.”

“Despite being labelled a weed in his youth, he dedicated himself to athletics and eventually became a competitive rower.”

C2 · Proficiency Plural noun Archaic · Literary

n. special black clothes worn by a woman whose husband has died.

n. garments worn as a sign of mourning, most commonly surviving in the phrase 'widow's weeds'.

“The widow was dressed in her black weeds for the funeral service.”

“In Victorian literature, the image of a woman draped in heavy black weeds served as a potent symbol of social isolation and grief.”

B1 · Intermediate

v. to pull out unwanted plants from the ground.

v. to remove unwanted vegetation from a cultivated area.

“I need to weed the flower beds before the guests arrive this weekend.”

“If you do not weed the patch regularly, the invasive species will quickly overwhelm the native flora you are trying to protect.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to find and remove the things or people that are not good enough from a group.

v. to systematically remove inferior, unwanted, or redundant items from a collection or group; often used with 'out'.

“The company uses a test to weed out applicants who don't have the right skills.”

“The librarian spent weeks weeding out outdated textbooks to make room for the new digital resource centre.”