wood 1
— woodless , adj.
/wood/ , n.
1. the hard, fibrous substance composing most of the stem and branches of a tree or shrub, and lying beneath the bark; the xylem.
2. the trunks or main stems of trees as suitable for architectural and other purposes; timber or lumber.
3. firewood.
4. the cask, barrel, or keg, as distinguished from the bottle: aged in the wood.
5. See wood block (def. 1).
6. Music.
a. a woodwind instrument.
b. the section of a band or orchestra composed of woodwinds.
7. Often, woods . ( used with a sing. or pl. v. ) a large and thick collection of growing trees; a grove or forest: They picnicked in the woods.
8. Golf. a club with a wooden head, as a driver, brassie, spoon, or baffy for hitting long shots. Cf. iron (def. 5).
9. have the wood on , Australian Slang. to have an advantage over or have information that can be used against.
10. knock on wood , (used when knocking on something wooden to assure continued good luck): The car's still in good shape, knock on wood. Also, esp. Brit., touch wood .
11. out of the woods ,
a. out of a dangerous, perplexing, or difficult situation; secure; safe.
b. no longer in precarious health or critical condition; out of danger and recovering.
adj.
12. made of wood; wooden.
13. used to store, work, or carry wood: a wood chisel.
14. dwelling or growing in woods: wood bird.
v.t.
15. to cover or plant with trees.
16. to supply with wood; get supplies of wood for.
v.i.
17. to take in or get supplies of wood (often fol. by up ): to wood up before the approach of winter.
[ bef. 900; ME; OE wudu, earlier widu; c. ON vithr, OHG witu, OIr fid ]
Syn. 7. See forest .
wood 2
/wood/ , adj. Archaic.
1. wild, as with rage or excitement.
2. mad; insane.
[ bef. 900; ME; OE wod; c. ON othr; akin to G Wut rage, OE woth song ]