1 C1 neutral
To use a hoe to loosen the soil and remove weeds from around the base of growing plants.
"You should hoe around the tomato plants every week to stop the weeds from taking over."
inseparable
hoe around
C1 neutral inseparable transitive/intransitive
To use a hoe to loosen or weed the soil around plants.
In plain English
To use a garden tool to break up the dirt around your plants so weeds don't grow.
What does "hoe around" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To use a hoe in the area around something — fully transparent.
Actually means
To use a garden tool to break up the dirt around your plants so weeds don't grow.
Usage tip
Almost exclusively used in agricultural or gardening contexts. Not idiomatic; the meaning is transparent to anyone familiar with what a hoe is. Rarely encountered outside farming or gardening writing.
Words that pair with "hoe around"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
plants rows weeds garden crops roots
How to conjugate "hoe around"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
hoe around
I/you/we/they
3rd person
hoes around
he/she/it
Past simple
hoed around
yesterday
Past participle
hoed around
have + pp
-ing form
hoing around
continuous
Hear "hoe around" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "hoe around" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.