Birnam Wood
/ˌbɜːnəm ˈwʊd/
/ˌbɜːrnəm ˈwʊd/
- a wood in central Scotland. In Shakespeare's play Macbeth, the witches (= women with magic powers) tell Macbeth that he will not be defeated until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane. Later, Macduff's army hide themselves behind branches cut from the wood as they advance to attack Macbeth's castle at Dunsinane, so it appears as though the wood is moving.