tree surgery

Meanings

1. 1noununcountableBritish

   The skilled work of cutting and caring for large trees, especially removing damaged branches or making them safe.

   Grammar: Used without 'a' or a plural: 'Tree surgery is expensive.'

   Patterns

   • do tree surgery
   • tree surgery on a tree

   The old oak needed tree surgery after the storm broke two big branches.

   He trained in tree surgery and now works for the city parks department.

   Tree surgery on the roadside trees will close one lane next week.

2. 2noununcountabletechnical

   The branch of arboriculture that deals with the health, safety and shape of individual trees.

   Grammar: Often used before another noun: 'a tree surgery company'.

   Patterns

   • a tree surgery company
   • a tree surgery course

   She studied tree surgery at an agricultural college.

   The council hired a tree surgery firm to check the trees in the park.

Common combinations

tree surgery company

We called a tree surgery company to deal with the leaning pine.

tree surgery course

He took a tree surgery course to get certified.

need tree surgery

That large sycamore will need tree surgery soon.

tree surgery on something

They did tree surgery on the trees along the drive.

Synonyms and how they differ

arboriculture

A more technical word for the science of growing and caring for trees, not just the cutting work.

tree care

A broader, everyday term that includes watering and feeding as well as cutting.

tree service

Chiefly American; it usually refers to the business that does the work, not the skill itself.

Word family

tree surgeon noun

A person whose job is to cut and care for large trees.

Commonly confused: tree surgery or tree felling?

Practice

Make it your own

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

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