Weed eating, also known as string trimming or line trimming, refers to the act of using a specialized gardening tool called a weed eater or weed trimmer to cut down weeds and grass around objects and edges of a lawn that a regular lawnmower cannot reach. But how exactly do you spell this common yet often misspelled term? Let’s find out.
The Most Common Spelling is “Weed Eating”
The most commonly accepted spelling for the verb form is “weed eating” – two words with no hyphen. This is the spelling used in mainstream dictionaries like Merriam-Webster and Cambridge Dictionary Some examples of use
- John was outside weed eating the lawn edges.
- I need to do some weed eating around the trees and fences.
- My least favorite yard chore is weed eating.
So if you want to use the standard and most widely recognized spelling, go with “weed eating”.
Alternate Spellings Exist
That being said some alternate spellings have emerged likely due to the term being born colloquially. These include
- Weed-eating – hyphenated
- Weedeating – one word amalgamated spelling
So you may see things like:
- The weed-eating really did a number on my arms!
- I hired someone to do the weedeating this time.
While these aren’t wrong per se, they aren’t as common as the two-word spelling. The hyphenated form in particular seems to be falling out of favor.
Different Forms for Noun and Verb
Keep in mind “weed eating” is used for the verb form – the act of trimming weeds with a weed eater. But you can also use it as a noun, for example:
- The weed eating took me over an hour.
- I need to do some weed eating soon.
For the noun form, the spellings tend to differ. “Weed eating” as two words is acceptable for the noun. But you’ll also see:
- Weed-eating – more common for the noun than verb
- Weed eating – hyphenated, but not that common
- Weedeating – amalgamated into one word, often used for noun form
Regional Variations Exist
Additionally, there are some regional variations in spelling and terminology. For example, in Australia and New Zealand, “whipper snipper” is more commonly used than “weed eater”. And in the UK, “strimmer” is the most popular term.
Proper Spelling Depends on Usage
The key is to be consistent within any given text. Don’t alternate between “weed eating” and “weedeating”, for example. Pick one spelling and stick with it throughout your writing for clarity.
And if you’re still unsure, referring to a dictionary is never a bad idea! But you can feel confident using the common “weed eating” spelling for both noun and verb forms.
What does the noun weed-eater mean?
There are two meanings listed in OEDs entry for the noun weed-eater. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.
This word is used in U.S. English.
Where does the noun weed-eater come from?
The earliest known use of the noun weed-eater is in the 1840s.
OEDs earliest evidence for weed-eater is from 1848, in the writing of E. S. Dixon.
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How to Change the Line | Weed Eater String | Replace Weed Wacker [2021]
FAQ
Is weedeating one word or two?
Noun. weedeating (uncountable) (landscaping, US) The act or task of trimming weeds with a weedeater.
Is it weed eating or weed wacking?
Key Finding #5: Weed Eater is the Most Common Name in the US
after all the tool was invented in the US under the brand name Weed Eater. And most families became familiar with the tool through marketing and advertisements. By the time the competition came along with other names like string trimmer and weed whacker.
How do you spell weed whacking?
What is the meaning of weed eat?
“Weed eat” or “weedeat” refers to the act of using a string trimmer (also known as a weed whacker or weed eater) to cut down weeds, grass, and other vegetation, particularly in areas where a lawnmower can’t easily reach, like along fences, edges, and around obstacles. It’s a landscaping term commonly used in the US, according to Wiktionary.
Why is weedeat not a weed eater?
Because it’s a weed wacker, not a weed eater. What does ‘weedeat’ mean? To trim weeds using a weedeater, ‘weedeat’ is the action represented in the simple present (weedeats), present participle (weedeating), simple past, and past participle (weedeated). For example, ‘John weedeated Mrs. Smith’s yard the other day just after mowing it’.
What does Weedeater mean?
Back-formation from weedeater. weedeat (third-person singular simple present weedeats, present participle weedeating, simple past and past participle weedeated) (landscaping, US) To trim weeds using a weedeater (a string trimmer). John weedeated Mrs. Smith’s yard the other day just after mowing it.
Is weed whacking a weed eater?
I know some people say weed-whacking or trimming when talking about a string trimmer, but folks around here (central Kentucky”) say weed-eating. For those who refer to it as weed-eating, how to you say the past tense? Archived post. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Weed wacked. Because it’s a weed wacker, not a weed eater.
What is weed eating in lawn care?
Weed eating, also known as trimming or edging, is the process of using a string trimmer to cut down grass and weeds in areas where a lawnmower cannot reach. Why is weed eating important for lawn care?
What does weedeated mean?
(landscaping, US) To trim weeds using a weedeater. John weedeated Mrs. Smith’s yard the other day just after mowing it. There are no notes for this entry. WordSense Dictionary: weedeated – ✔ meaning, ✔ definition.
How do you eat weeds with a lawn trimmer?
Some techniques for effective weed eating include holding the trimmer parallel to the level of the mowed grass and moving it back and forth for trimming around trees and flower beds. When edging between grass and paved surfaces, the trimmer should be held vertically.