wreath


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wreath

a circular band of flowers, foliage, or other material, used as an adornment; a garland: We always put an evergreen wreath on the door for the holidays.
Not to be confused with:
wreathe – to encircle or adorn, as with a wreath; to envelop: Her head was wreathed in spring flowers.
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree

wreath

 (rēth)
n. pl. wreaths (rēthz, rēths)
1.
a. A ring or circlet of freshly cut or dried flowers, boughs, or leaves worn on the head, placed on a memorial, or hung as a decoration.
b. A similar ornamental ring made of wood, plastic, or other materials.
2. A curling or circular form: a wreath of smoke.

[Middle English wrethe, from Old English writha, band; see wer- in Indo-European roots.]
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.

wreath

(riːθ)
n, pl wreaths (riːðz; riːθs)
1. (Art Terms) a band of flowers or foliage intertwined into a ring, usually placed on a grave as a memorial or worn on the head as a garland or a mark of honour
2. any circular or spiral band or formation
3. (Ceramics) a spiral or circular defect appearing in porcelain and glassware
[Old English wrǣth, wrǣd; related to Middle Low German wrēden to twist. See writhe]
ˈwreathless adj
ˈwreathˌlike adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

wreath

(riθ)

n., pl. wreaths (rētz, rēths),
n.
1. a circular band of flowers, foliage, etc., for adorning the head or for any decorative purpose; garland or chaplet.
2. any ringlike, curving, or curling mass or formation: a wreath of clouds.
v.t., v.i.
3. to wreathe.
[before 1000; Middle English wrethe, Old English writha something wound or coiled; akin to writhe]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

Wreath

 a garland or intertwined chaplet; a drift of snow or sand.
Examples: wreaths of fire, 1789; wreath of flowers; of sand; of sea, 1875; of smoke, 1859; of snow, 1725; of vapour, 1794; of worms, 1684.
Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.wreath - flower arrangement consisting of a circular band of foliage or flowers for ornamental purposeswreath - flower arrangement consisting of a circular band of foliage or flowers for ornamental purposes
crown - a wreath or garland worn on the head to signify victory
floral arrangement, flower arrangement - a decorative arrangement of flowers
bay wreath, laurel wreath, laurel - (antiquity) a wreath of laurel foliage worn on the head as an emblem of victory
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

wreath

noun garland, band, ring, crown, loop, festoon, coronet, chaplet She wore a wreath of jasmine flowers in her hair.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
إكْليلحَلَقَةٌ من الدُّخان
kranssky
kiehkurakranssilakipunosseppeleseppelöidä
füstkarikakoszorú
spírall, vafningur, snúningursveigur, krans
skendėtivainikas
grīstestrūklavainags
obláčik
venec
krans
çelenkduman halkası

wreath

[riːθ] N (wreaths (pl)) [riːðz] [of flowers] → guirnalda f; (for funeral) → corona f; [of smoke, mist] → espiral m
laurel wreathcorona f de laurel
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

wreath

[ˈriːθ] [wreaths] [ˈriːðz ˈriːθs] (pl) ncouronne f
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

wreath

n pl <-s> → Kranz m; wreath of laurelLorbeerkranz m
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

wreath

[riːθ] n (wreaths (pl)) [riːðz] (of flowers) → ghirlanda; (at funeral) → corona; (of smoke) → anello; (mist) → corona
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

wreath

(riːθ) plural wreaths (riːθs riːðz) noun
1. a circular garland of flowers or leaves, placed at a grave, or put on someone's shoulders or head after his/her victory etc. We put a wreath of flowers on her mother's grave.
2. a drift or curl of smoke, mist etc. wreaths of smoke.
wreathe (riːð) verb
to cover. faces wreathed in smiles.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
References in classic literature ?
Kitty meanwhile had long ago been quite ready, and in her white dress and long veil and wreath of orange blossoms she was standing in the drawing-room of the Shtcherbatskys' house with her sister, Madame Lvova, who was her bridal-mother.
We then waited whilst Lucy made her toilet for the night, and when she was in bed he came and himself fixed the wreath of garlic round her neck.
The sons of the Achaeans shared it duly among themselves, and chose lovely Chryseis as the meed of Agamemnon; but Chryses, priest of Apollo, came to the ships of the Achaeans to free his daughter, and brought with him a great ransom: moreover he bore in his hand the sceptre of Apollo, wreathed with a suppliant's wreath, and he besought the Achaeans, but most of all the two sons of Atreus who were their chiefs.
Her wreath having faded, Anne had discarded it in the lane, so Marilla was spared the knowledge of that for a time.
I did not like to go quite to the front and stare in at the gate; but I paused beside the garden wall, and looked, and saw no change - except in one wing, where the broken windows and dilapidated roof had evidently been repaired, and where a thin wreath of smoke was curling up from the stack of chimneys.
THE ring is on my hand, And the wreath is on my brow; Satins and jewels grand Are all at my command, And I am happy now.
And when he turned from the brightness without, to his stately palace, it seemcd so cold and dreary, that he folded Violet's mantle round him, and sat beneath the faded wreath upon his ice-carved throne, wondering at the strange warmth that came from it; till at length he bade his Spirits bring the little Fairy from her dismal prison.
When he arrives at the hippodrome, he will be crowned with the poetic wreath, in anticipation of his victory at the approaching Olympics.
On the lowest green bough hung an abundant wreath of roses, some that had been gathered in the sunniest spots of the forest, and others, of still richer blush, which the colonists had reared from English seed.
By way of showing her gratitude, the child besought them to go with her a little way into the fields, so that they might gather abundance of flowers, with which she would make each of her kind playmates a wreath.
On the other hand, whenever it was her pleasure to appear abroad, as on Sundays and fete-days, she would put on some very brilliant-coloured dress, usually of thin texture, a silk bonnet with a wreath of flowers, and a very fine shawl.
Before Emily could reply, one of the maids entered the room with a wreath of roses in her hand.