weave
- weave
\ \ English has two distinct verbs weave, but they have grown to resemble each other closely over the centuries. Weave ‘make cloth’ [OE] goes back to a prehistoric Germanic *weben, which also produced German weben, Dutch weven, Swedish väva, and Danish voeve. It was formed from the base *web-, *wab- (source also of English wafer, web, and weft [OE]), which in turn went back to Indo-European *webh-, *wobh-, probable source of English wasp. Weave ‘take a zigzag course’ [13] was probably borrowed from Old Norse veifa. This was descended from prehistoric Germanic *weibjan, which came from the Indo-European base *weib-, *wib- ‘move quickly’ (source also of English vibrate, whip, and wipe). At first it meant ‘move about, travel’ (‘Then the evil ghost fares out of the man and weaves wide … seeking rest’, 11th-century English poem). The notion of ‘moving from side to side, threading one’s way’ did not emerge until the 16th century, presumably through the influence of the other verb weave.
\ \ Cf.⇒ WAFER, WASP, WEB, WEFT; VIBRATE, WHIP, WIPE
Word origins - 2ed.
J. Ayto.
2005.
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Look at other dictionaries:
Weave — (w[=e]v), v. t. [imp. {Wove} (w[=o]v); p. p. {Woven} (w[=o]v n), {Wove}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Weaving}. The regular imp. & p. p. {Weaved} (w[=e]vd), is rarely used.] [OE. weven, AS. wefan; akin to D. weven, G. weben, OHG. weban, Icel. vefa, Sw. v[… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
weave — [wēv] vt. WOVE or, chiefly for vt. 6 & vi. 2, weaved, woven or wove or, chiefly for vt. 6 & vi. 2, weaved, weaving, wove [ME weven < OE wefan, akin to ON vefa, Ger weben < IE * webh (> Gr hyphē) < base * (a)we , to plait, weave] 1. a) … English World dictionary
weave — Ⅰ. weave [1] ► VERB (past wove; past part. woven or wove) 1) form (fabric) by interlacing long threads passing in one direction with others at a right angle to them. 2) (usu. as noun weaving) make fabric in this way. 3) … English terms dictionary
Weave — Weave, n. A particular method or pattern of weaving; as, the cassimere weave. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
weave — (v.) O.E. wefan form by interlacing yarn (class V strong verb; past tense wæf, pp. wefen), from P.Gmc. *webanan (Cf. O.N. vefa, M.L.G., M.Du., Du. weven, O.H.G. weban, Ger. weben to weave ), from PIE *webh /*wobh (Cf. Skt. ubhnati he laces to … Etymology dictionary
weave — weave, knit, crochet, braid, plait, tat mean to make a fabric or textile or to form an article by interlacing threads or strands of material. Weave usually implies crossing rows of threads or strands interlaced into a web, irrespective of method … New Dictionary of Synonyms
Weave — Weave, v. i. 1. To practice weaving; to work with a loom. [1913 Webster] 2. To become woven or interwoven. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
weave — index incorporate (include) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
weave — verb. It is worth pointing out that there are two words involved here, although their meanings overlap in figurative applications. The one meaning ‘to form fabric by interlacing threads’ is from Old English, and the other, meaning ‘to take a… … Modern English usage
weave — [v] blend, unite; contrive braid, build, careen, complect, complicate, compose, construct, create, criss cross, crochet, cue, entwine, fabricate, fold, fuse, incorporate, interfold, interlace, interlink, intermingle, intertwine, introduce, knit,… … New thesaurus
weave — I n. a plain; satin; twill weave II v. 1) (C) she wove a basket for us; or: she wove us a basket 2) (d; tr.) to weave around, round (she wove the story around a specific theme) 3) (d; tr.) to weave from, out of (she wants to weave a scarf from… … Combinatory dictionary
