willow
willow — noun
1. a tall tree with many slender branches that grows best near water; also, the lig
a tall tree with many slender branches that grows best near water; also, the light, soft wood taken from willows, often used in baskets and light furniture
The old weeping willow's drooping branches swept the ground as children played in its shade.
collocation: weeping willow
Eli wove willow branches into a fence, bending them easily around the wooden posts.
Along the riverbank, a row of willow trees keeps the soil from washing away.
Layla wove thin strips of willow wood into a basket for storing fruit.
The carpenter João chose willow for rocking chairs, praising its light weight and strength.
- sallow
An older or more formal botanical name for certain willow species, especially bushier varieties
- osier
A specific type of willow with very thin, bendable branches, traditionally used in basket-making
- weeping willow
A popular ornamental willow variety with distinctly drooping branches; often what people picture when they hear 'willow'
用法筆記
When referring to the living tree, 'willow' is countable (a willow / two willows). When referring to the wood as a material, it is uncountable (some willow / made of willow).
常見錯誤
2. a bat used in the sport of cricket, made from the wood of a willow tree — sports
a bat used in the sport of cricket, made from the wood of a willow tree — sports journalists and players often refer to the bat itself as a 'willow'
Femi picked up his willow and walked to the cricket pitch with confidence.
metonymic use: willow = cricket bat
Christopher oiled his willow carefully before the big match to protect the wood.
The umpire inspected the willow after the batsman hit a powerful shot over the boundary.
Yuki admired the straight grain of her new willow, hoping to score well.
Tunde's willow cracked during the match, so his coach ordered a new one.
- cricket bat
The general, everyday term for the equipment; 'willow' implies a focus on the material or is used in sports writing for stylistic variety
用法筆記
This sense is almost exclusively British and specific to the sport of cricket. It is not used for baseball bats, hockey sticks, or any other sports equipment. The word 'willow' here refers to the bat itself by naming the material it is made from (metonymy).