deadwood
pronunciation
How to pronounce deadwood in British English:
UK ['dedwʊd]
How to pronounce deadwood in American English:
US ['dedˌwʊd]
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- Noun:
- a branch or a part of a tree that is dead
- someone or something that is unwanted and unneeded
Word Origin
- deadwood (n.)
- 1887 in figurative sense of "useless person or thing," originally American English, from dead (adj.) + wood (n.). Dead wood in a forest is useful as firewood; perhaps the reference here is to the dried up parts of plants grown for commercial production of flowers or fruit.
Example
- 1. Deadwood also allows fires to get hotter .
- 2. When I moved to deadwood .
- 3. The new management plans to get rid of any deadwood .
- 4. The deadwood in the end reveals his age .
- 5. The boss tried to get rid of some deadwood in the company .