Meaning & use
weaving
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Meanings
noununcountable
The craft or process of making cloth, mats or baskets by crossing threads or strips over and under each other.
Grammar: Uncountable as a craft: she studied weaving. Countable for pieces: the museum displays several weavings.
Patterns
- learn weaving
- weaving of something
My aunt took up weaving after she retired and now makes rugs.
The village is famous for its hand weaving.
Weaving requires patience, as every row must be pressed tight.
nouncountable
Cloth or other material that has been made by weaving, especially as a decoration or work of art.
Grammar: Countable: a weaving hangs on the wall; many weavings were on show.
Patterns
- a weaving of something
A large weaving covered one wall of the lobby.
The gallery sold small weavings made with natural dyes.
She sold her woollen weavings at the weekend market.
verbtransitive or intransitive
Moving along a winding path, passing quickly between obstacles, as in the -ing form of the verb weave.
Grammar: -ing form of weave; often followed by through or between: weaving through traffic.
Patterns
- weaving through something
- weaving between things
The cyclist was weaving through the slow traffic.
Children were weaving between the tables, chasing each other.
He kept weaving in and out of the crowd to catch the train.
Word forms
| plural | weavings |
|---|
Common combinations
- hand weaving
- Hand weaving is slower than machine production.
- traditional weaving
- The region is known for its traditional weaving.
- weaving workshop
- We joined a weaving workshop run by local artists.
- weaving loom
- The weaving loom took up half the studio.
- weaving techniques
- She learned several weaving techniques from her grandmother.
Synonyms and how they differ
- textile making
- Textile making is a broader term, since it also covers knitting, felting and other methods.
- loomwork
- Loomwork is less common and refers specifically to cloth made with a loom, while weaving also covers hand baskets and mats.
- tapestry
- A tapestry is a particular woven picture or wall hanging, while weaving describes the craft and any woven work.
- plaiting
- Plaiting is about braiding strands together in a pattern, usually fewer and thicker, and is not done on a loom.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: weaving or waving? weaving or we've?
weaving vs waving
Waving means moving a hand or object from side to side. Weaving means crossing threads or moving in and out of obstacles.
weaving vs we've
We've sounds similar but is a contraction of we have, and has no connection to weaving.
Practice
Which sentence uses weaving to mean moving between obstacles?
Choose one answer.
Weaving through a crowded market describes moving in and out of obstacles. In the other options weaving means the craft or a woven piece.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “weaving”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.