willow definition - Dictionary

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	wildly

	wildwood

	wile

	wilful

	Wilhelm

	Wilhelmshaven

	Wilkes-Barre

	will (1)

	will (2)

	will-o’-the-wisp

	Willamette

	willemite

	Willemstad

	willet

	willful

	willful injury

	William Tell

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willow

wil·low [ wíllō ] (plural wil·lows)

noun

Definition:

1. tree with long flexible branches: a tree or bush with long flexible branches, narrow leaves, and catkins containing small flowers without petals. Some species are valued for their wood, twigs, and tanbark. Genus Salix.

2. willow wood: the wood of a willow tree

3. industry machine with spikes: a machine with a revolving spiked cylinder inside a box that is also fitted with spikes. Use: cleaning or loosening fibrous materials such as cotton, wool, or rags.

[ Old English welig< Germanic]

wil·low·ish adjective

Cultural Note


	The Wind in the Willows, a children's story (1908) by British writer Kenneth Grahame. Originally written as a bedtime story for Grahame's son, it recounts the mishaps that befall four animals - Mole, Ratty, Toad, and Badger - when they venture outside their natural habitats. Much loved by children, the tales are also enjoyed by adults as entertaining allegories of human behavior.