Blog Number 4?? Matthew Peeler

In today's society, there are many words that have a somewhat different meaning than they might have had for years before. As time continues to move forward, certain things that have been a part of society forever start to take on a new meaning. Many times this change will be for the worse as words take on a much more vulgar and explicit meaning compared to its definition throughout history. In my opinion there is not a more perfect example of this than the word "weed".
According to The Oxford English Dictionary a weed is a herbaceous plant not valued for use or beauty, growing wild and rank, and regarded as cumbering the ground or hindering the growth of superior vegetation. This definition is not only the meaning that has been behind this word for years, but it is also the meaning of the word that has pestered so many people when it comes to gardening. Regardless of how annoying this word may be to many, this definition is a far cry to what many people consider the word weed means in today's society.
In contrast to a pesky plant that grows in places where it is not wanted, there is another more modern definition of the word weed. According to Urban Dictionary, the definition of the word weed is God's gift to the world, brings peace when used wisely. Many people, after reading this definition, would ask themselves who would consider a weed as a gift from God? The truth behind this particular meaning of weed however is that "weed" is a word used as a substitute name for the drug marijuana. To many, this may be quite a shock but as the times change, people are becoming more and more familiar with the word weed being associated with the drug opposed to the plants in their gardens that are not so welcome.
As time goes on, things change, including the definitions of words. As I have mentioned here, words do not always change definitions for the good. In my opinion, as sad as it is, the Urban Dictionary definition of the word weed is a more accurate definition simply due to the fact that so many more people today are exposed to this drug. This is purely a sign of the times that we live in today and a perfect example of how a word can change definitions over time.