web
web — noun
1. A structure of thin, sticky threads that a spider produces from its body and use
A structure of thin, sticky threads that a spider produces from its body and uses as a net to catch small insects for food.
In the early morning, the garden was covered with delicate spider webs sparkling with dew.
collocation: covered with + web
A large garden spider had spun its web between the branches of the old apple tree.
verb pattern: spin + a web
The children watched carefully as the spider repaired its broken web after the rain stopped.
Tamar gently touched the spider web with a stick and watched it shake and tremble.
- spin a web
- weave a web
- repair a web
- web of silk
- delicate web
- sticky web
- caught in a web
Grammar Patterns
web + of + noun
spin + a web
web + between/among + noun
Usage Note
Often used with 'spider' (spider web) or 'cob' (cobweb) for older, dusty webs. Cobweb specifically refers to an abandoned web covered in dust.
Common Mistakes
2. A thin membrane of skin joining the toes of certain water birds and animals, whi
A thin membrane of skin joining the toes of certain water birds and animals, which helps them move through water while swimming.
Ducks have webbed feet that help them push through the water when they search for food.
modifier: webbed + noun describing body part
The frog's back feet are fully webbed, making it one of the strongest swimmers in the pond.
Selim noticed that the bird's feet had a thin web of skin between each toe.
pattern: web of skin between
A pelican uses its webbed feet to push itself across the surface of the water.
- webbed feet
- webbed toes
- web of skin
- fully webbed
- partially webbed
Grammar Patterns
webbed + noun
web + between + plural noun
Usage Note
The adjective form 'webbed' is far more common than the noun 'web' for this sense. Learners should focus on 'webbed feet/toes' as the most natural expression.
Common Mistakes
3. The global system of connected documents, pages, and images that people can acce
The global system of connected documents, pages, and images that people can access through the internet, often referred to simply as the Web.
Indra found the answer by searching on the web for less than five minutes.
preposition: on the web
The company launched a new website on the World Wide Web last month and gained many customers.
full form: World Wide Web
Many people now watch videos, read news, and shop directly on the web using their phones.
Liang learned to build his first web page by following a simple online tutorial.
modifier: web page / web site
- on the web
- surf the web
- web page
- web site
- web browser
- web address
- world wide web
- internet
broader term; the web is a service that runs on the internet
- world wide web
the full, formal name
- cyberspace
more abstract and slightly dated; used for the virtual environment
Grammar Patterns
on the web
web + noun (as modifier)
Usage Note
Capitalize as 'the Web' or 'the World Wide Web' in formal writing. In everyday speech, 'the web' (lowercase) is standard. The phrase 'surf the web' is dated but still understood.
Common Mistakes
4. A continuous piece of cloth or other woven material that is being made on a mach
A continuous piece of cloth or other woven material that is being made on a machine called a loom, especially while it is still attached to the loom.
The weaver carefully examined the web of cotton cloth taking shape on the wooden loom.
pattern: web of [material]
Each morning the artisan checked the tension of the web before continuing to weave the colourful blanket.
A long web of woollen cloth was slowly produced by the factory machine.
The apprentice watched the master weaver guide the shuttle across the web.
- web of cloth
- web on the loom
- tension of the web
- cotton web
- silk web
Grammar Patterns
web + of + material
web + on + a loom
Usage Note
This is a specialized textile term. Most learners will encounter 'web' in this sense only in historical or craft contexts. The related noun 'webbing' (strong fabric straps) is far more common.
5. A complicated set of connected things, people, or events that is difficult to un
A complicated set of connected things, people, or events that is difficult to understand or escape, often used to describe hidden or deceptive situations.
The police uncovered a web of criminal activity that stretched across three different countries.
pattern: a web of [abstract noun]
Vikram found himself caught in a confusing web of lies that grew more tangled each day.
collocation: caught in a web
The city's transport system is a complex web of trains, buses, bike paths, and underground lines.
A web of tiny canals carried water from the river to every farm in the valley.
- a web of lies
- a web of deceit
- a web of connections
- a complex web
- a tangled web
- caught in a web
- spin a web of
- order
a clear and simple arrangement rather than a complex one
Grammar Patterns
a web of + noun
caught in a web
Usage Note
This is the most productive metaphorical sense. 'A web of + plural noun' is the most common pattern. Often carries a negative connotation of complexity, deception, or entrapment.
Common Mistakes
web — verb
1. To form or construct a web by weaving threads together, as a spider does, or to
To form or construct a web by weaving threads together, as a spider does, or to create something that looks like a web.
The spider webbed an intricate geometric pattern across the corner of the window frame.
transitive: web + object
In the quiet corner of the cellar, a single spider had webbed between the old wine bottles.
intransitive: web + adverbial
Several garden spiders had webbed across the gaps between the fence posts.
During the night, a spider webbed a small net near the kitchen window light.
Grammar Patterns
web + object (transitive)
web (intransitive, no object)
Usage Note
Uncommon in everyday speech. The synonymous phrase 'spin a web' is far more natural and frequent for learners.
2. To cover something with a web, network, or tangled mass of threads so that it be
To cover something with a web, network, or tangled mass of threads so that it becomes enclosed or hidden.
Thick cobwebs had webbed the entire attic, making it look as if no one had entered for years.
transitive: cobwebs + web + object
The old chairs in the shed were completely webbed over with dust and silk threads.
passive: be webbed over with
The unused fireplace was webbed over with layers of grey silk.
Dust and threads had webbed the old piano so thickly that the keys were hidden.
- clear
to remove webs or threads from a surface
Grammar Patterns
be webbed + with + noun
web + object
Usage Note
Literary or descriptive; rarely used in conversation. The phrasal combination 'webbed over' or 'webbed with' is more common than 'webbed' alone.
3. To catch or trap someone in a difficult situation, set of lies, or complicated r
To catch or trap someone in a difficult situation, set of lies, or complicated relationship, as if caught in a web they cannot escape.
The young detective felt webbed in a tangle of false clues and misleading statements.
passive figurative: be webbed in
Maya realized she had been webbed by her own lies when she could not keep her story straight anymore.
Kabir felt himself webbed deeper into the scandal with every new question from reporters.
The corporation webbed its rivals in a series of confusing legal disputes.
Grammar Patterns
be webbed in + noun
web + object
Usage Note
Almost always used figuratively rather than literally. The synonyms 'entangle' or 'ensnare' are more common in everyday English. 'Webbed in' often appears with abstract nouns like 'deception', 'intrigue', or 'complications'.
4. To have or be supplied with a thin membrane of skin connecting body parts, espec
To have or be supplied with a thin membrane of skin connecting body parts, especially the toes of water birds and animals.
The duckling's feet were fully webbed by the time it was three weeks old.
passive + body part: be webbed
These water birds have beautifully webbed toes designed for pushing through the water quickly.
adjective form: webbed toes
An otter's paws are partially webbed, allowing it to swim quickly after fish.
The goose had broad, fully webbed feet that spread wide with each step.
Grammar Patterns
be webbed + noun describing body part
Usage Note
The adjective 'webbed' (as in 'webbed feet') is overwhelmingly more common than the verb form. Learners should prioritize the adjective for this meaning.
Common Mistakes
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
All four words refer to the same structure spun by spiders, but they differ in usage and connotation. 'Spider web' (or the single-word 'spiderweb') is the most neutral and precise term — it simply names the net made by a spider. 'Web' alone is more general: it can mean a spider's web, but also the internet, a woven fabric, or any interconnected system. 'Cobweb' specifically describes an old, dusty spider web that has been abandoned, often found in unused corners or attics, and carries a slightly negative or neglected tone. For everyday conversation, 'spider web' or 'web' are best. Use 'cobweb' when you want to emphasize that the web is old and dirty: 'The attic was full of cobwebs.'
Common collocations
Etymology
The word 'web' comes from Old English 'webb', meaning 'woven fabric'. It is related to the verb 'weave' and goes back to the Proto-Germanic word '*wabjam'. For over a thousand years, 'web' referred primarily to woven cloth and, by extension, to a spider's woven silk structure. The sense of 'a connected system' developed metaphorically in the 1600s. In the 1990s, 'the World Wide Web' — a system of linked documents on the internet — gave the word its most common modern meaning.