weave

weave — verb

1. To produce fabric on a loom by passing horizontal threads over and under vertica

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

To produce fabric on a loom by passing horizontal threads over and under vertical threads that run the length of the cloth.

Example

Aunt Rosa learned to weave cotton cloth from her grandmother in Oaxaca.

weave + material (cotton cloth)

The artisan wove fine wool and silk together to make a warm blanket.

weave [material A] and [material B] together

Common collocations
  • weave cotton
  • weave wool
  • weave silk
  • handwoven
  • machine-woven
  • woven fabric
Synonyms
  • interlace

    more technical; describes the motion of threads crossing each other

  • intertwine

    broader; used for twisting any flexible materials, not just loom weaving

Grammar Patterns

weave + [cloth/material]

weave [thread] into [cloth]

Usage Note

Frequently passive: 'woven [into/in]' is the most common form when describing finished cloth.

Common Mistakes

She knits cotton on a loom.
She weaves cotton on a loom.
Knitting uses two needles; weaving uses a loom with crossing threads.

2. To bend strips of material such as plant stems, grass, or thin branches over and

2.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

To bend strips of material such as plant stems, grass, or thin branches over and under each other to create a useful object like a basket or a mat.

Example

Eli wove dried palm leaves into a wide hat to wear at the market.

weave [material] into [object]

The children gathered long grass and wove small baskets for their toys.

Common collocations
  • weave a basket
  • weave a mat
  • weave from straw
  • woven willow
  • weave a wreath
Synonyms
  • braid

    usually means twisting three or more strands together, not interlacing over and under

  • plait

    British English; mostly for hair or narrow strips

Grammar Patterns

weave [material] into [object]

weave [object] from [material]

Usage Note

Object is typically something made by hand: baskets, mats, wreaths, hats, or fences. Subject is often a craftsperson or community.

3. To skilfully combine separate pieces of information, events, or ideas into a sin

3.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

To skilfully combine separate pieces of information, events, or ideas into a single connected account or story.

Example

The journalist wove interviews and government reports into a powerful article.

weave [sources] into [output]

Amani wove personal memories and local legends into her first novel.

Common collocations
  • weave a story
  • weave together facts
  • weave a tale
  • woven into the narrative
Synonyms
  • integrate

    more formal; emphasises making parts work as a system, not a narrative

  • incorporate

    suggests including elements into an existing structure

  • fuse

    stronger; suggests the elements blend so thoroughly they become one

Antonyms
  • separate

    to keep things apart rather than combining them

  • disentangle

    to pull apart elements that are mixed together

Grammar Patterns

weave [elements] into [story/account]

weave [story] from [elements]

Usage Note

Often used with 'together' (weave together). The subject is typically a writer, speaker, or creator, and the object is a complex whole such as a story, argument, or account.

4. To move along a path that changes direction sharply and frequently, usually to a

4.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

To move along a path that changes direction sharply and frequently, usually to avoid people or objects in the way.

Example

The cyclist wove through the busy market square without hitting anyone.

weave through [area]

Eli wove between the orange traffic cones on his skateboard at the park.

weave between [obstacles]

Common collocations
  • weave through traffic
  • weave through a crowd
  • weave in and out
  • weave between cars
Synonyms
  • dodge

    emphasises avoiding one thing at a time; less about a continuous path

  • zigzag

    directly describes the pattern of movement

  • slalom

    specific to skiing or watersports; implies a planned course

Grammar Patterns

weave through [obstacles/area]

weave in and out of [traffic/crowd]

Usage Note

Often describes vehicle or sports movement. The path is irregular but purposeful, not random or dizzy. Past tense is usually 'weaved', not 'wove', for this sense.

Common Mistakes

She wove through the crowd.' (using 'wove' as past tense for zigzagging)
She weaved through the crowd.
For the moving-through-obstacles sense, the regular past tense 'weaved' is preferred.

5. To move gently or unsteadily from one side to the other, like a tall plant in th

5.verbintransitiveC1
Definition

To move gently or unsteadily from one side to the other, like a tall plant in the wind or a person who is dizzy.

Example

The old pine tree weaved slowly in the afternoon breeze beside the barn.

subject is a tree or tall object

Christopher stood up too fast and weaved on his feet for a few seconds.

Common collocations
  • weave unsteadily
  • weave in the wind
  • weave back and forth
Synonyms
  • sway

    more common and neutral; suggests a smoother side-to-side motion

  • swing

    implies a wider, more deliberate arc of movement

  • reel

    stronger; implies losing balance from shock or dizziness

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

weave [adverb of manner]

weave [prepositional phrase]

Usage Note

Unlike sense 4 (zigzag), this sense describes an unsteady, wobbling motion without forward purpose — like a tree swaying or a person who feels faint. Past tense is usually 'weaved'.

Idioms

weave your magic / weave a spell

idiom

To use your special skills or charm to create a powerful effect on people or a situation.

The young chef wove his magic and turned simple vegetables into an elegant meal.

Nia wove a spell with her singing and had the whole audience in tears.

weave your magic | weave a spell (over somebody)

idiom

To use your special skills or charm to influence or attract someone in a positive way.

The storyteller wove his magic over the children with tales of dragons.

Can Maya weave a spell over the judges with her piano performance?

weave — noun

Word family

  • weaver
    nounB1
  • weaving
    nounB1
  • woven
    adjectiveB1
  • handwoven
    adjectiveB2
  • interweave
    verbC1
  • web
    nounA2
  • weft
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words describe making things with yarn or thread, but the methods differ. 'Weave' uses a loom with threads running in two directions (warp and weft) that cross at right angles. 'Knit' uses two pointed needles to pull loops of yarn through other loops, creating a stretchy fabric. 'Crochet' uses a single hooked needle to build fabric from interlocking loops, one stitch at a time, often producing thicker or more decorative items. 'Braid' (or 'plait' in British English) twists three or more strands together in a diagonal pattern without any tools — it is the simplest technique and is commonly used for hair, rope, or bread dough. For example: 'She wove a woollen scarf on a loom'; 'She knitted a sweater with size-eight needles'; 'She crocheted a lace doily for the table'; and 'She braided her daughter's hair before school.'

weave ↗knit ↗crochetbraid ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • weave in and out
  • weave together
  • wove a tale

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-Indo-EuropeanGermanicOld EnglishEnglish

From Old English 'wefan', meaning to weave or form by interlacing threads. It traces back through Germanic languages to the ancient Proto-Indo-European root 'webh-', which also gave English 'web' and 'weft' (the crosswise threads on a loom), as well as Latin 'vibrare' (to vibrate, shake) — a distant link to the sense of swaying motion.