noun
Common
shaw
shaw
Shaw (noun) means (dialectal, British) A small wood or thicket. Example: “Rabbits darted into the shaw as soon as we came near.”
noun
1
(dialectal, British) A small wood or thicket.
"Rabbits darted into the shaw as soon as we came near."
"A small shaw of oak and hazel stood behind the old farm."
"The path led through a shaw at the edge of the field."
How to use shaw
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn old dialect word for a small patch of woodland, rarely used today outside place names.
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Word forms
- Plural
- shaws
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Etymology
From Old English sċeaga, "small wood," related to Old Norse skógr, "forest" (the source of Danish skov).
Related words
Rhymes for shaw
See all rhymes for shaw →Frequently asked questions
What does “shaw” mean?
The word “shaw” means (dialectal, British) A small wood or thicket. In plain terms, an old dialect word for a small patch of woodland, rarely used today outside place names.
How do you pronounce “shaw”?
“Shaw” is pronounced shaw (/ʃɔ/ in IPA).
How do you use “shaw” in a sentence?
Here is “shaw” used in a sentence: “The path led through a shaw at the edge of the field.”
What part of speech is “shaw”?
“Shaw” is a noun.
Where does the word “shaw” come from?
The word “shaw” comes from Old English. From Old English sċeaga, "small wood," related to Old Norse skógr, "forest" (the source of Danish skov).
Is “shaw” a common word?
“Shaw” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between a shaw and a copse?
Both name a small group of trees. Copse is the standard English word for a small wood, while shaw is a British dialect word with much the same meaning. In everyday writing copse is the usual choice; shaw survives mainly in regional speech and in names.
Is shaw still used in modern English?
As an everyday word for a small wood or thicket, shaw is now rare and mainly dialectal in Britain. It survives most visibly in surnames and in place names, particularly those ending in -shaw, many of which originally referred to a small wood.
What is the difference between a shaw and a thicket?
A thicket is a dense tangle of bushes or small trees, emphasising how thick the growth is. A shaw is a dialect word for a small wood or thicket, so it overlaps with thicket but can also name a modest stand of trees that is not especially dense.
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