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Meaning & use

arrow

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈærəʊ/
US/ˈæroʊ/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable

    A thin, pointed stick shot from a bow, usually with feathers at the back end.

    Grammar: Countable: one arrow, two arrows. Often used with 'shoot' or 'fire'.

    Patterns

    • shoot an arrow
    • fire an arrow
    • an arrow hits something

    The archer shot an arrow that hit the center of the target.

    In the museum, you can see ancient arrows with stone tips.

    He pulled the bowstring back and let the arrow fly.

  2. nouncountable

    A sign shaped like a pointed line, used to show direction or position.

    Grammar: Countable: follow the arrow, draw an arrow. Common on signs and diagrams.

    Patterns

    • follow an arrow
    • draw an arrow
    • an arrow points to something

    Follow the arrows on the floor to find the exit.

    The map has a red arrow showing where we are.

    Draw an arrow from the noun to the verb it relates to.

  3. nouncountable

    A symbol (→) used in writing to mean 'leads to', 'becomes', or 'see also'.

    Grammar: Countable; often used in notes, dictionaries, and chemical equations.

    Patterns

    • arrow from X to Y
    • an arrow indicates something

    In this dictionary, an arrow shows that you should look at another word.

    The equation uses an arrow to show the direction of the reaction.

    Write 'cold → hot' to show the change in temperature.

Word forms

pluralarrows

Common combinations

bow and arrow
Archery uses a bow and arrow to hit a target.
arrow key
Use the arrow keys to move the cursor on the screen.
straight as an arrow
The road ran straight as an arrow across the desert.
arrowhead
The arrowhead was made of sharp flint.
follow the arrows
Just follow the arrows and you'll find the parking lot.

Synonyms and how they differ

dart
A dart is a small, light arrow-like object thrown by hand, not shot from a bow.
bolt
In archery, a bolt is a short, heavy arrow for a crossbow, not a regular bow.

Word family

arrowhead noun
The pointed tip of an arrow.
arrowroot noun
A type of starch from a tropical plant, used in cooking.

Commonly confused: arrow or allow?

arrow vs allow

Not to be confused with 'allow' (to permit). They sound similar but are unrelated.

Practice

On the hiking trail, we followed the yellow ______ painted on the rocks.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “arrow”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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