weir — English Dictionary

Noun

1. An adjustable dam placed across a river to regulate the flow of water downstream.

   Usage

   • Countable

   Examples

   More examples (3)

   Though Hambleden's parish register records the death, in 1753, of a bargeman 'Kill'd by accident, shooting ye lock', the turbulent waters of Mill End weir on the River Thames, about a mile from the village, still attract canoeists.

   The weir must not represent a physical barrier to fish migration, both locally and throughout the whole river system. If necessary, a fishway is included in the weir.

   A walkway over the weir is likely to be useful for the removal of floating debris trapped by the weir, or for working staunches and sluices on it as the rate of flow changes.

2. A fence placed across a river to catch fish.

   Usage

   • Countable

   Examples

   The Taff is naturally a good salmon river, the Ely a sea trout river, but what with weirs and pollusions the fish have been pretty well exterminated.

   The weir catch of mackerel at Monomoy and along Cape Cod has been a failure.

   More examples (1)

   For a spell we done pretty well. Then there came a reg'lar terror of a sou'wester same as you don't get one summer in a thousand, and blowed the shanty flat and ripped about half of the weir poles out of the sand.

3. Seaweed.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Obsolete
   • Uncountable

Verb

1. To put a weir, or weirs (in a river)

Noun

1. a low dam built across a stream to raise its level or divert its flow

   Broader terms

   damdikedyke

2. a fence or wattle built across a stream to catch or retain fish

   Broader terms

   fencefencing