bowstring hemp
- noun
- /ˈbaʊˌstrɪŋ hɛmp/
:
sansevieria
- The bowstring hemp thrives indoors with little water or sunlight.
Examples
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She placed a potted bowstring hemp on her office desk for decoration.
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The bowstring hemp plant is easy to care for.
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Fibers from bowstring hemp have traditionally been used to make cords and ropes.
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I bought a bowstring hemp for my living room.
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Fibers from bowstring hemp are often used in traditional crafts to make durable cords and ropes.
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She decorated her office by placing a potted bowstring hemp by the window, appreciating its long, sword-shaped leaves.
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The bowstring hemp is a popular indoor plant because it thrives with minimal care, requiring little watering and sunlight.
Synonyms
A tropical plant with thick, long, pointed leaves often grown as a houseplant
A tropical African plant with long stiff leaves that people use as a houseplant and for strong ropes
A South African plant whose long, strong leaves people use to make rope
A strong fibrous plant with long stiff leaves used for making rope
A tropical plant with thick banded green leaves often kept indoors
A tropical plant with thick striped green leaves grown for strong fibers and decoration
Surface Forms
Morphology
bowstring + hemp
The phrase is compositionally built: 'bowstring' (a string for a bow) modifies 'hemp' (a coarse fibrous material), so the meaning is a type of hemp used for strong cordage or bowstrings. Even though 'bowstring' isn't listed separately, its internal parts are transparent and the noun-noun modifier pattern is common, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents should be able to infer the meaning.
Etymology
Bowstring hemp is the name of a plant with long, tough leaves whose fibers were used to make a bowstring. Because people used the plant like 'hemp' to make cords and ropes, the name now means the plant grown for strong fiber.
