tumbleweed
nounUK /ˈtʌmbəlwiːd/ · US /ˈtʌmbəlˌwid/
Etymology From tumble + weed.
1
Any plant which habitually breaks away from its roots once dry, forming a light, rolling mass which is driven by the wind from place to place; as Russian thistle, wild indigo, witch grass, Amaranthus albus, etc.
2
Describing unwanted silence and inactivity. Often used of a situation when one makes a statement that is ignored or ill-received by one's audience, as the resultant silence is likened to that of a desolate desert with rolling tumbleweeds.
- Putting an ad in the local paper that Spock's Beard and Arena are in town will get you a tumbleweed response and some wasted revenue.2000 January 21, Plsntgrn, “Re: SOAR Budget (A Long Guestimate)”, in alt.music.progressive:
- “Why do families argue?” may only induce the tumbleweed response. (Could you answer that question out of the blue?)2005, Trevor Wright, How to Be a Brilliant English Teacher, →ISBN, page 68:
3
A tan colour, like that of a tumbleweed.
- Derived terms
- monster tumbleweed, Palestinian tumbleweed, Russian tumbleweed, tumbleweed moment
- Related terms
- tumble thistle