Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Wood
Wood
(woŏd)
, Adj.
[OE.
wod
, AS. wōd
; akin to OHG. wuot
, Icel. ōðr
, Goth. wōds
, D. woede
madness, G. wuth
, wut
, also to AS. wōð
song, Icel. ōðr
, L. vates
a seer, a poet. Cf. Wednesday
.] Mad; insane; possessed; rabid; furious; frantic.
[Obs.]
[Written also
wode
.] Our hoste gan to swear as [if] he were
wood
. Chaucer.
Wood
,Verb.
I.
To grow mad; to act like a madman; to mad.
Chaucer.
Wood
,Noun.
[OE.
wode
, wude
, AS. wudu
, wiodu
; akin to OHG. witu
, Icel. vi[GREEK]r
, Dan. & Sw. ved
wood, and probably to Ir. & Gael. fiodh
, W. gwydd
trees, shrubs.] 1.
A large and thick collection of trees; a forest or grove; – frequently used in the plural.
Light thickens, and the crow
Makes wing to the rooky
Makes wing to the rooky
wood
. Shakespeare
2.
The substance of trees and the like; the hard fibrous substance which composes the body of a tree and its branches, and which is covered by the bark; timber.
“To worship their own work in wood and stone for gods.” Milton.
3.
(Bot.)
The fibrous material which makes up the greater part of the stems and branches of trees and shrubby plants, and is found to a less extent in herbaceous stems. It consists of elongated tubular or needle-shaped cells of various kinds, usually interwoven with the shinning bands called silver grain.
☞ Wood consists chiefly of the carbohydrates cellulose and lignin, which are isomeric with starch.
4.
Trees cut or sawed for the fire or other uses.
Wood acid
,
Wood vinegar
(Chem.)
, a complex acid liquid obtained in the dry distillation of wood, and containing large quantities of acetic acid; hence, specifically, acetic acid. Formerly called
– pyroligneous acid
. Wood anemone
(Bot.)
, a delicate flower (
– Anemone nemorosa
) of early spring; – also called windflower
. See Illust. of Anemone
. Wood ant
(Zool.)
, a large ant (
– Formica rufa
) which lives in woods and forests, and constructs large nests. Wood apple
(Bot.)
. See
– Elephant apple
, under Elephant
. Wood baboon
(Zool.)
, the drill.
– Wood betony
. (Bot.)
(a)
Same as
Betony
. (b)
The common American lousewort (
– Pedicularis Canadensis
), a low perennial herb with yellowish or purplish flowers. Wood borer
. (Zool.)
(a)
The larva of any one of numerous species of boring beetles, esp. elaters, longicorn beetles, buprestidans, and certain weevils. See
Apple borer
, under Apple
, and Pine weevil
, under Pine
. (b)
The larva of any one of various species of lepidopterous insects, especially of the clearwing moths, as the peach-tree borer (see under
Peach
), and of the goat moths. (c)
The larva of various species of hymenopterous of the tribe Urocerata. See
Tremex
. (d)
Any one of several bivalve shells which bore in wood, as the teredos, and species of Xylophaga.
(e)
Any one of several species of small Crustacea, as the
– Limnoria
, and the boring amphipod (Chelura terebrans
). Wood carpet
, a kind of floor covering made of thin pieces of wood secured to a flexible backing, as of cloth.
Knight.
– Wood cell
(Bot.)
, a slender cylindrical or prismatic cell usually tapering to a point at both ends. It is the principal constituent of woody fiber.
– Wood choir
, the choir, or chorus, of birds in the woods.
[Poetic]
Coleridge.
– Wood coal
, charcoal; also, lignite, or brown coal.
– Wood cricket
(Zool.)
, a small European cricket (
– Nemobius sylvestris
). Wood culver
(Zool.)
, the wood pigeon.
– Wood cut
, an engraving on wood; also, a print from such an engraving.
– Wood dove
(Zool.)
, the stockdove.
– Wood drink
, a decoction or infusion of medicinal woods.
– Wood duck
(Zool.)
(a)
A very beautiful American duck (
Aix sponsa
). The male has a large crest, and its plumage is varied with green, purple, black, white, and red. It builds its nest in trees, whence the name. Called also bridal duck
, summer duck
, and wood widgeon
. (b)
The hooded merganser.
(c)
The Australian maned goose (
– Chlamydochen jubata
). Wood echo
, an echo from the wood.
– Wood engraver
. (a)
An engraver on wood.
(b)
(Zool.)
Any of several species of small beetles whose larvae bore beneath the bark of trees, and excavate furrows in the wood often more or less resembling coarse engravings; especially,
– Xyleborus xylographus
. Wood engraving
. (a)
The act or art engraving on wood; xylography.
(b)
An engraving on wood; a wood cut; also, a print from such an engraving.
– Wood fern
. (Bot.)
See
– Shield fern
, under Shield
. Wood fiber
. (a)
(Bot.)
Fibrovascular tissue.
(b)
Wood comminuted, and reduced to a powdery or dusty mass.
– Wood fretter
(Zool.)
, any one of numerous species of beetles whose larvae bore in the wood, or beneath the bark, of trees.
– Wood frog
(Zool.)
, a common North American frog (
– Rana sylvatica
) which lives chiefly in the woods, except during the breeding season. It is drab or yellowish brown, with a black stripe on each side of the head. Wood germander
. (Bot.)
See under
– Germander
. Wood god
, a fabled sylvan deity.
– Wood grass
. (Bot.)
See under
– Grass
. Wood grouse
. (Zool.)
(a)
The capercailzie.
(b)
The spruce partridge. See under
– Spruce
. Wood guest
(Zool.)
, the ringdove.
[Prov. Eng.]
– Wood hen
. (Zool.)
(a)
Any one of several species of Old World short-winged rails of the genus
Ocydromus
, including the weka and allied species. (b)
The American woodcock.
– Wood hoopoe
(Zool.)
, any one of several species of Old World arboreal birds belonging to
– Irrisor
and allied genera. They are closely allied to the common hoopoe, but have a curved beak, and a longer tail. Wood ibis
(Zool.)
, any one of several species of large, long-legged, wading birds belonging to the genus
– Tantalus
. The head and neck are naked or scantily covered with feathers. The American wood ibis (Tantalus loculator
) is common in Florida. Wood lark
(Zool.)
, a small European lark (
– Alauda arborea
), which, like, the skylark, utters its notes while on the wing. So called from its habit of perching on trees. Wood laurel
(Bot.)
, a European evergreen shrub (
– Daphne Laureola
). Wood leopard
(Zool.)
, a European spotted moth (
– Zeuzera aesculi
) allied to the goat moth. Its large fleshy larva bores in the wood of the apple, pear, and other fruit trees. Wood lily
(Bot.)
, the lily of the valley.
– Wood lock
(Naut.)
, a piece of wood close fitted and sheathed with copper, in the throating or score of the pintle, to keep the rudder from rising.
– Wood louse
(Zool.)
(a)
Any one of numerous species of terrestrial isopod Crustacea belonging to
Oniscus
, Armadillo
, and related genera. See Sow bug
, under Sow, and Pill bug
, under Pill
. (b)
Any one of several species of small, wingless, pseudoneuropterous insects of the family
– Psocidae
, which live in the crevices of walls and among old books and papers. Some of the species are called also book lice
, and deathticks
, or deathwatches
. Wood mite
(Zool.)
, any one of numerous small mites of the family
– Oribatidae
. They are found chiefly in woods, on tree trunks and stones. Wood mote
. (Eng. Law)
(a)
Formerly, the forest court.
(b)
The court of attachment.
– Wood nettle
. (Bot.)
See under
– Nettle
. Wood nightshade
(Bot.)
, woody nightshade.
– Wood nut
(Bot.)
, the filbert.
– Wood nymph
. (a)
A nymph inhabiting the woods; a fabled goddess of the woods; a dryad.
“The wood nymphs, decked with daisies trim.” Milton.
(b)
(Zool.)
Any one of several species of handsomely colored moths belonging to the genus
Eudryas
. The larvae are bright-colored, and some of the species, as Eudryas grata
, and Eudryas unio
, feed on the leaves of the grapevine. (c)
(Zool.)
Any one of several species of handsomely colored South American humming birds belonging to the genus
– Thalurania
. The males are bright blue, or green and blue. Wood offering
, wood burnt on the altar.
We cast the lots . . . for the
– wood offering
. Neh. x. 34.
Wood oil
(Bot.)
, a resinous oil obtained from several East Indian trees of the genus
– Dipterocarpus
, having properties similar to those of copaiba, and sometimes substituted for it. It is also used for mixing paint. See Gurjun
. Wood opal
(Min.)
, a striped variety of coarse opal, having some resemblance to wood.
– Wood paper
, paper made of wood pulp. See
– Wood pulp
, below. Wood pewee
(Zool.)
, a North American tyrant flycatcher (
– Contopus virens
). It closely resembles the pewee, but is smaller. Wood pie
(Zool.)
, any black and white woodpecker, especially the European great spotted woodpecker.
– Wood pigeon
. (Zool.)
(a)
Any one of numerous species of Old World pigeons belonging to
Palumbus
and allied genera of the family Columbidae
. (b)
The ringdove.
– Wood puceron
(Zool.)
, a plant louse.
– Wood pulp
(Technol.)
, vegetable fiber obtained from the poplar and other white woods, and so softened by digestion with a hot solution of alkali that it can be formed into sheet paper, etc. It is now produced on an immense scale.
– Wood quail
(Zool.)
, any one of several species of East Indian crested quails belonging to
– Rollulus
and allied genera, as the red-crested wood quail (Rollulus roulroul
), the male of which is bright green, with a long crest of red hairlike feathers. Wood rabbit
(Zool.)
, the cottontail.
– Wood rat
(Zool.)
, any one of several species of American wild rats of the genus
– Neotoma
found in the Southern United States; – called also bush rat
. The Florida wood rat (Neotoma Floridana
) is the best-known species. Wood reed grass
(Bot.)
, a tall grass (
– Cinna arundinacea
) growing in moist woods. Wood reeve
, the steward or overseer of a wood.
[Eng.]
– Wood rush
(Bot.)
, any plant of the genus
– Luzula
, differing from the true rushes of the genus Juncus
chiefly in having very few seeds in each capsule. Wood sage
(Bot.)
, a name given to several labiate plants of the genus
– Teucrium
. See Germander
. Wood screw
, a metal screw formed with a sharp thread, and usually with a slotted head, for insertion in wood.
– Wood sheldrake
(Zool.)
, the hooded merganser.
– Wood shock
(Zool.)
, the fisher. See
– Fisher
, 2. Wood shrike
(Zool.)
, any one of numerous species of Old World singing birds belonging to
– Grallina
, Collyricincla
, Prionops
, and allied genera, common in India and Australia. They are allied to the true shrikes, but feed upon both insects and berries. Wood snipe
. (Zool.)
(a)
The American woodcock.
(b)
An Asiatic snipe (
– Gallinago nemoricola
). Wood soot
, soot from burnt wood.
– Wood sore
. (Zool.)
See
– Cuckoo spit
, under Cuckoo
. Wood sorrel
(Bot.)
, a plant of the genus Oxalis (
– Oxalis Acetosella
), having an acid taste. See Illust. (a) of Shamrock
. Wood spirit
. (Chem.)
See
– Methyl alcohol
, under Methyl
. Wood stamp
, a carved or engraved block or stamp of wood, for impressing figures or colors on fabrics.
– Wood star
(Zool.)
, any one of several species of small South American humming birds belonging to the genus
– Calothorax
. The male has a brilliant gorget of blue, purple, and other colors. Wood sucker
(Zool.)
, the yaffle.
– Wood swallow
(Zool.)
, any one of numerous species of Old World passerine birds belonging to the genus
– Artamus
and allied genera of the family Artamidae
. They are common in the East Indies, Asia, and Australia. In form and habits they resemble swallows, but in structure they resemble shrikes. They are usually black above and white beneath. Wood tapper
(Zool.)
, any woodpecker.
– Wood tar
. See under
– Tar
. Wood thrush
, (Zool.)
(a)
An American thrush (
Turdus mustelinus
) noted for the sweetness of its song. See under Thrush
. (b)
The missel thrush.
– Wood tick
. See in Vocabulary.
– Wood tin
. (Min.)
. See
– Cassiterite
. Wood titmouse
(Zool.)
, the goldcgest.
– Wood tortoise
(Zool.)
, the sculptured tortoise. See under
– Sculptured
. Wood vine
(Bot.)
, the white bryony.
– Wood vinegar
. See
– Wood acid
, above. Wood warbler
. (Zool.)
(a)
Any one of numerous species of American warblers of the genus
Dendroica
. See Warbler
. (b)
A European warbler (
– Phylloscopus sibilatrix
); – called also green wren
, wood wren
, and yellow wren
. Wood worm
(Zool.)
, a larva that bores in wood; a wood borer.
– Wood wren
. (Zool.)
(a)
The wood warbler.
(b)
The willow warbler.
Wood
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Wooded
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Wooding
.] To supply with wood, or get supplies of wood for;
as, to
. wood
a steamboat or a locomotiveWood
,Verb.
I.
To take or get a supply of wood.
Webster 1828 Edition
Wood
WOOD
,Adj.
WOOD
,Noun.
1.
A large and thick collection of trees; a forest.Light thickens, and the crow makes wing to the rooky wood.
2.
The substance of trees; the hard substance which composes the body of a tree and its branches, and which is covered by the bark.3.
Trees cut or sawed for the fire. Wood is yet the principal fuel in the United States.4.
An idol. Habakkuk 2.WOOD
,Verb.
I.
Definition 2024
Wood
wood
wood
See also: Wood
English
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation, Australia, General American) enPR: wo͝od, IPA(key): /wʊd/
- Rhymes: -ʊd
- Homophone: would
Noun
wood (countable and uncountable, plural woods)
- (uncountable) The substance making up the central part of the trunk and branches of a tree. Used as a material for construction, to manufacture various items, etc. or as fuel.
- This table is made of wood. There was lots of wood on the beach.
- John Milton
- to worship their own work in wood and stone for gods
- 1963, Margery Allingham, “Foreword”, in The China Governess:
- He stood transfixed before the unaccustomed view of London at night time, a vast panorama which reminded him […] of some wood engravings far off and magical, in a printshop in his childhood.
- (countable) The wood of a particular species of tree.
- Teak is much used for outdoor benches, but a number of other woods are also suitable, such as ipé, redwood, etc.
- (countable) A forested or wooded area.
- He got lost in the woods beyond Seattle.
- William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Macbeth
- Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be until / Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill / Shall come against him.
- Firewood.
- We need more wood for the fire.
- 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 8, in Mr. Pratt's Patients:
- We toted in the wood and got the fire going nice and comfortable. Lord James still set in one of the chairs and Applegate had cabbaged the other and was hugging the stove.
- 2013 July-August, Henry Petroski, “Geothermal Energy”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 4:
- Energy has seldom been found where we need it when we want it. Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame.
- (countable, golf) A type of golf club, the head of which was traditionally made of wood.
- (music) A woodwind instrument.
- (uncountable, slang) An erection of the ****.
- That girl at the strip club gave me wood.
- (chess, uncountable, slang) Chess pieces.
- 1971, Chess Life & Review (volume 26, page 309)
- […] White has nothing but a lot of frozen wood on the board while Black operates on the Q-side.
- 1971, Chess Life & Review (volume 26, page 309)
Usage notes
In the sense of "a forested area", the singular generally refers to a discrete area of forest, while the plural is often used when a more vaguely defined area is meant.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Terms derived from wood (noun)
|
Related terms
Translations
substance
|
|
wood from a particular species
|
woodland
|
|
firewood
|
|
type of golf club
music: woodwind instrument
|
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slang: an erection
Verb
wood (third-person singular simple present woods, present participle wooding, simple past and past participle wooded)
- (transitive) To cover or plant with trees.
- (transitive) To supply with wood, or get supplies of wood for.
- to wood a steamboat or a locomotive
- To take or get a supply of wood.
Translations
to cover or plant with trees
Etymology 2
From Middle English wood, from Old English wōd (“mad, insane”). See the full etymology at wode.
Alternative forms
Adjective
wood (comparative wooder, superlative woodest)
Derived terms
Etymology 3
Back-formation from peckerwood.
Noun
wood (plural woods)
- (US, sometimes offensive, chiefly prison slang, of a person) A peckerwood.
- 1991, Mary E. Pelz, James W. Marquart and Terry Pelz, "Right-Wing Extremism in the Texas Prisons: The Rise and Fall of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas", The Prison Journal, Winter-Fall 1991:
- He further stated that "I can't remember ever seeing a wood [white inmate] assault a nigger without being provoked".
- 2009, Brendan Joel Kelly, "Pride vs. Power", The Phoenix New Times:
- Other than shout-outs to fellow "woods," I found no references on their record to racism, and after getting to know the members, I think Woodpile's message is the opposite of what the L.A. Times construed it to be — they want to bring hardcore white guys to rap music, rather than alienating anyone of any race.
- 2011, Christian Workman, Black Boxed: Coming of Age Behind Prison Walls:
- The only thing is, even though there are ways to remain neutral, to just be a wood and not get caught up in the white supremacist gang stuff, you do have to take a side if things get bad.
- 1991, Mary E. Pelz, James W. Marquart and Terry Pelz, "Right-Wing Extremism in the Texas Prisons: The Rise and Fall of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas", The Prison Journal, Winter-Fall 1991:
Statistics
Most common English words before 1923: higher · military · passage · #892: wood · matters · physical · spring