oxbow

Everyday

1. An oxbow (oxbow lake) is a curved lake that forms when a bend (meander) of a river is cut off from the main river. tree →
2. An oxbow is also a big U-shaped bend in a river. tree →
3. An oxbow is a U-shaped wooden collar that fits around an ox's neck to fix it to a yoke. tree →

In the lessons

In geography lessons, oxbow lakes are a classic feature of rivers in their lower course: erosion on the outside of meanders and deposition on the inside slowly cut off a loop, especially in floods. Pupils draw diagrams of how an oxbow lake forms. Common phrases: «oxbow lake», «form an oxbow», «meander and oxbow».

Examples

• An oxbow lake forms when a meander is cut off. tree →
• We drew a diagram of how an oxbow lake forms. tree →
• The Mississippi River has many oxbow lakes. tree →
• Ducks swam on the quiet oxbow. tree →
• The flood cut through the neck of the meander and made an oxbow. tree →
• The farmer's old ox wore a wooden oxbow. tree →
• Oxbow lakes slowly fill with mud and plants. tree →

Note

Plural: oxbows. A compound of «ox» + «bow» (bow rhymes with «go»). The lake gets its name because its curve looks like the U-shaped oxbow collar.