weave
weave
UK[wiːv]US[wiːv]
v
to make cloth, a carpet, a basket, etc. by crossing threads or strips over and under each other by hand or on a machine
v
to twist and turn while moving somewhere to avoid things that are in your way
Etymology
the modern english verb "weave" descends directly from the old english "wefan," meaning to weave, plait, or form by interlacing threads. this old english term has deep proto-germanic origins in the word "webaną" and can be traced further back to the proto-indo-european root "webh-," which carried the core sense of "to weave" or "to move quickly." the semantic journey is remarkably direct, with the ancient physical action of interlacing materials to create fabric remaining the central meaning. the extended, metaphorical sense of moving in and out, as in "weaving through traffic," logically evolved from the image of threads being passed over and under stationary elements.
Analysis
the word is a simplex form derived from a single, indivisible old english root.
Examples
skilled artisans weave intricate patterns into the tapestry.
the driver had to weave through the heavy congestion on the highway.
she learned to weave baskets from reeds gathered by the river.