■ noun
1》 the hard fibrous material forming the main substance of the trunk or branches of a tree or shrub, used for fuel or timber.
↘( the ~ ) ~en barrels used for storing alcoholic drinks.
↘a golf club with a ~en or other head that is relatively broad from face to back.
↘another term for bowl 2 (in sense 1).
2》 (also ~s ) a small forest.
Phrases
be unable to see the ~ (or N. Amer. the forest ) for the trees fail to grasp the main issue because of over-attention to details.
out of the ~ (or ~s ) [usu. with negative ] out of danger or difficulty.
touch (or chiefly N. Amer. knock on ) ~ touch something ~en to ward off bad luck.
Derivatives
~less adjective
Origin
OE wudu , from Gmc.