divining rod

di·vin·ing rod

(dĭ-vī′nĭng)

A forked branch or stick that is believed to indicate subterranean water or minerals by bending downward when held over a source.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

divining rod

(Mining & Quarrying) a rod, usually a forked hazel twig, said to move or dip when held over ground in which water, metal, etc, is to be found. Also called: dowsing rod

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

divin′ing rod`

a rod, esp. a forked stick, commonly of hazel, supposedly useful in locating underground water or metal deposits. Also called dowser.

[1745–55]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun

divining rod - forked stick that is said to dip down to indicate underground water or oil

dowsing rod, water finder, waterfinder, dowser

stick - an implement consisting of a length of wood; "he collected dry sticks for a campfire"; "the kid had a candied apple on a stick"

Translations

virgule

Wünschelrute

taikavarpu

bacchetta del rabdomante

divining rod

[dɪˈvaɪnɪŋrɒd] N → varilla f de zahorí

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

divining rod

n → Wünschelrute f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

divining rod

[dɪˈvaɪnɪŋˌrɒd] n → bacchetta

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in ?

References in classic literature ?

He informed him that much secrecy and caution must be observed in enterprises of the kind; that money is only to be dug for at night, with certain forms and ceremonies and burning of drugs, the repeating of mystic words, and, above all, that the seekers must first be provided with a divining rod,[3] which had the wonderful property of pointing to the very spot on the surface of the earth under which treasure lay hidden.

[3] A divining rod is a rod used by those who pretend to discover water or metals underground.

In the meantime the wonderful divining rod, that great key to nature's secrets, was duly prepared.

The lantern was now held by Wolfert Webber, while the doctor produced the divining rod. It was a forked twig, one end of which was grasped firmly in each hand, while the center, forming the stem, pointed perpendicularly upward.

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I learned, that, when he was past creeping out of bed to open it, and past assuring himself of its safety by means of the divining rod I had seen him use, he had required to have it placed on the chair at the bed-side, where he had ever since embraced it, night and day.

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His old-school methods include using a L-shaped copper divining rod to locate graves.

History, one gravestone at a time Graves: Preserving cemeteries dictated by law, 'has to be done right'

a dragonfly divining rod of amazement made of emerald-sapphire with a pair of huge eyes inflated with sight rises on the transparent illusion of wings it will freeze suddenly it will hold time like a breath to rest for a moment to test eternity in the harbor of balance in its self in a dragonfly 4.

from THE NATURE NOTEBOOK

Local communities also use it as a divining rod of sorts.

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"Wenner, through Hagan and in his own estimation, was a surrogate for rock 'n' roll and a divining rod for its future.

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"He is at one with the universe, a divining rod for righteous souls waiting to be anointed."

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"For decades Red Herring has been a divining rod for identifying successful start-up companies in their early years.

Trillium Inc recognized with Red Herring Top 100 Asia honors

Short of using a divining rod we abandoned the car, jumped over a bridge and fence, ploughed our way through trees and nettles and followed the sound of other lost ramblers before eventually stumbling on a clearing which housed a 200-year-old set of stairs.