osier

IPA/ˈəʊziə(r)/
IPA/ˈəʊʒər/

osier — noun

1. a willow grown for its long, springy shoots, which people often cut to weave bas

1.名詞C2
釋義

a willow grown for its long, springy shoots, which people often cut to weave baskets

例句

Yuna planted an osier beside the stream behind her house.

pattern: plant an osier beside water

A line of osiers grew along the wet edge of the field.

同義詞
  • willow

    the broad everyday word for this tree family, without stressing basket use

  • basket willow

    a clear descriptive term that highlights the tree's practical use

  • sallow

    a more botanical or regional term for some willow varieties

文法句型

an osier

osiers

用法筆記

This sense names the living tree or shrub itself. It is most often used when speakers want to stress that the willow is grown for its flexible shoots.

常見錯誤

❌We planted three osier in the wet field.
✅We planted three osiers in the wet field.
💡In this sense, 'osier' is a countable noun, so use the plural form for more than one tree.

2. a thin, flexible branch cut from this kind of willow, especially one used for we

2.名詞C2
釋義

a thin, flexible branch cut from this kind of willow, especially one used for weaving baskets or making light furniture

例句

Felipe bent a fresh osier into a round handle for the basket.

pattern: bend an osier into a shape

The chair repairer tied the broken seat with thin osiers.

同義詞
  • willow rod

    a straightforward descriptive term for the cut branch

  • withe

    an older word for a flexible branch used for tying or weaving

  • switch

    can mean a thin flexible stick, but it is broader and not limited to willow

文法句型

an osier

osiers

用法筆記

Use this sense for a cut branch being handled as material. If you are talking about the plant still growing in the ground, use sense 1 instead.