hammock

IPA/ˈhæmək/
KK[hˈæmək]IPA/ˈhæmək/

hammock — noun

  • hammocksingular
  • hammocksplural

1. a sheet of fabric or netting suspended between two fixed points, such as trees o

1.nounB1
Definition

a sheet of fabric or netting suspended between two fixed points, such as trees or poles, with each tip fastened by a cord so that the whole structure hangs and forms a swinging bed, commonly placed outdoors for relaxing or sleeping

Example

Feng tied his hammock between two trees in the garden before lunch.

tie + [hammock] + between [two supports]

The old hammock swung gently in the afternoon breeze on the porch.

collocation: swung gently

Common collocations
  • hang a hammock
  • lie in a hammock
  • swing in a hammock
  • hammock between trees
  • hammock on the porch
Synonyms
  • swing

    a swing is a seat you push to move back and forth, usually for sitting rather than lying down

  • hanging chair

    a single-point suspended seat that rocks but does not allow you to lie flat like a hammock

  • cot

    a portable folding bed that stands on the ground, unlike a hammock which is suspended in the air

Grammar Patterns

hammock + between + [two supports]

in + hammock

Usage Note

Common collocations include 'hang a hammock', 'lie in a hammock', and 'hammock between (trees/posts)'. The verb 'tie' or 'hang' is typical when describing how a hammock is set up.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A hammock is a suspended fabric bed that supports the whole body for lying down, whereas a swing is a seat — often a flat board or tyre — that moves back and forth when pushed and is designed for sitting rather than lying flat. A hanging chair is a fabric seat suspended from a single overhead point that rocks but does not allow you to stretch out. A cot (or camp bed) is a portable folding bed that sits on the ground, making it useful where there are no supports from which to hang a hammock. For example: 'The children played on the swing while their father napped in the hammock.' 'A cot works better for camping in a tent with no trees.'

swing ↗hanging chaircot ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • lie in a hammock
  • hang a hammock
  • swing in a hammock

Prepositions

Etymology

TaínoSpanishEnglish

The word 'hammock' comes from the Taíno word 'hamaka', which described a hanging bed made from tree bark used by indigenous peoples of the Caribbean. Spanish explorers brought the word into Spanish as 'hamaca', and English adopted it in the 1500s during early contact with the Americas.