ornament
Other forms: ornaments; ornamented; ornamenting
An ornament is a decoration. You can also ornament something by making it more beautiful or festive.
The most common use of ornament is probably in Christmas ornaments, which decorate a tree. Similarly, any ornament makes something prettier, flashier, or more festive. When you ornament something, you're beautifying, embellishing, or adorning it. Women ornament themselves with makeup. Men ornament themselves with face paint at football games. People ornament their offices with pictures of their families. Different cultures have their own ways of ornamenting themselves and their homes. If something looks boring, why not ornament it?
Definitions of ornament
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something used to beautify
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synonyms:
decoration, ornamentation
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types:
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adornment
a decoration of color or interest that is added to relieve plainness
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arabesque
an ornament that interlaces simulated foliage in an intricate design
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architectural ornament
(architecture) something added to a building to improve its appearance
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beading, beadwork
ornamentation with beads
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bow
a decorative interlacing of ribbons
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brass
an ornament or utensil made of brass
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centerpiece, centrepiece
something placed at the center of something else (as on a table)
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Christmas tree
an ornamented evergreen used as a Christmas decoration
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cockade
an ornament (such as a knot of ribbon or a rosette) usually worn on the hat
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design, figure, pattern
a decorative or artistic work
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embellishment
a superfluous ornament
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finial
an ornament at the top of a spire or gable; usually a foliated fleur-de-lis
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floral arrangement, flower arrangement
a decorative arrangement of flowers
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falderol, folderal, frill, gimcrack, gimcrackery, nonsense, trumpery
ornamental objects of no great value
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gargoyle
an ornament consisting of a grotesquely carved figure of a person or animal
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garnish
any decoration added as a trimming or adornment
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graffiti, graffito
a rude decoration inscribed on rocks or walls
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hanging, wall hanging
decoration that is hung (as a tapestry) on a wall or over a window
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hood ornament
an ornament on the front of the hood of a car emblematic of the manufacturer
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encrustation, incrustation
a decorative coating of contrasting material that is applied to a surface as an inlay or overlay
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inlay
a decoration made by fitting pieces of wood into prepared slots in a surface
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decor, interior decoration
decoration consisting of the layout and furnishings of a livable interior
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knob, pommel
an ornament in the shape of a ball on the hilt of a sword or dagger
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lunula
a crescent-shaped metal ornament of the Bronze Age
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molding, moulding
a decorative strip used for ornamentation or finishing
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nailhead
something resembling the head of a nail that is used as an ornamental device
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necklet
decoration worn about the neck (fur piece or tight necklace) as an ornament
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overlay
a layer of decorative material (such as gold leaf or wood veneer) applied over a surface
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rosemaling
a Scandinavian style of carved or painted decoration (as on furniture or walls or dinnerware) consisting of floral motifs
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set decoration
a decoration used as part of the set of a theatrical or movie production
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sgraffito
a ceramic or mural decoration made by scratching off a surface layer to reveal the ground
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spiral, volute
ornament consisting of a curve on a plane that winds around a center with an increasing distance from the center
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sprig
an ornament that resembles a spray of leaves or flowers
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rivet, stud
ornament consisting of a circular rounded protuberance (as on a vault or shield or belt)
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fin, tail fin, tailfin
one of a pair of decorations projecting above the rear fenders of an automobile
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tinsel
a showy decoration that is basically valueless
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tracery
decoration consisting of an open pattern of interlacing ribs
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wind bell, wind chime
a decorative arrangement of pieces of metal or glass or pottery that hang together loosely so the wind can cause them to tinkle
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garnish
something (such as parsley) added to a dish for flavor or decoration
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glitter
small pieces of shiny material used as decoration
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annulet, bandelet, bandelette, bandlet, square and rabbet
molding in the form of a ring; at top of a column
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antefix
carved ornament at the eaves of a tile roof concealing the joints between tiles
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architrave
the molding around a door or window
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argyle, argyll
a design consisting of a pattern of varicolored diamonds on a solid background (originally for knitted articles); patterned after the tartan of a clan in western Scotland
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band, banding, stripe
an adornment consisting of a strip of a contrasting color or material
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bangle, bauble, fallal, gaud, gewgaw, novelty, trinket
cheap showy jewelry or ornament on clothing
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baseboard, mopboard, skirting board
a molding covering the joint formed by a wall and the floor
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astragal, bead, beading, beadwork
a beaded molding for edging or decorating furniture
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bear claw
an incised design resembling the claw of a bear; used in Native American pottery
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beauty spot
a spot that is worn on a lady's face for adornment
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boule, boulle, buhl
an inlaid furniture decoration; tortoiseshell and yellow and white metal form scrolls in cabinetwork
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bouquet, corsage, nosegay, posy
an arrangement of flowers that is usually given as a present
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boutonniere
a flower that is worn in a buttonhole
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cavetto
a concave molding shaped like a quarter circle in cross section
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circlet
decorated metal band worn around the head
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conge, congee
(architecture) a concave molding
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cordon
adornment consisting of an ornamental ribbon or cord
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cornice
a molding at the corner between the ceiling and the top of a wall
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crocket
an architectural ornament of curved foliage used at the edge of a spire or gable
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cuspidation
a decoration using cusps
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cyma, cymatium
(architecture) a molding for a cornice; in profile it is shaped like an S (partly concave and partly convex)
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damascene
a design produced by inlaying gold or silver into steel
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decal, decalcomania
either a design that is fixed to some surface or a paper bearing the design which is to be transferred to the surface
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device
any ornamental pattern or design (as in embroidery)
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dogtooth
a carved pyramidal ornament; used in 13th century England
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dossal, dossel
an ornamental hanging of rich fabric hung behind the altar of a church or at the sides of a chancel
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egg-and-anchor, egg-and-dart, egg-and-tongue
a decorative molding; a series of egg-shaped figures alternating with another shape
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emblem, icon
special design or visual object representing a quality, type, group, etc.
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epaulet, epaulette
adornment consisting of an ornamental cloth pad worn on the shoulder
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epergne
a large table centerpiece with branching holders for fruit or sweets or flowers
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fan tracery
the carved tracery on fan vaulting
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festoon
an embellishment consisting of a decorative representation of a string of flowers suspended between two points; used on pottery or in architectural work
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filagree, filigree, fillagree
delicate and intricate ornamentation (usually in gold or silver or other fine twisted wire)
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flower chain
flowers strung together in a chain
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fob
an adornment that hangs from a watch chain
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foliage, foliation
(architecture) leaf-like architectural ornament
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Greek fret, Greek key, fret, key pattern
an ornamental pattern consisting of repeated vertical and horizontal lines (often in relief)
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frieze
an architectural ornament consisting of a horizontal sculptured band between the architrave and the cornice
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flounce, frill, furbelow, ruffle
a strip of pleated material used as a decoration or a trim
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frog
a decorative loop of braid or cord
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frontal, frontlet
an adornment worn on the forehead
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gorgerin, necking
the molding at the top of a column
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guilloche
an architectural decoration formed by two intersecting wavy bands
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herringbone, herringbone pattern
a pattern of columns of short parallel lines with all the lines in one column sloping one way and lines in adjacent columns sloping the other way; it is used in weaving, masonry, parquetry, embroidery
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jewellery, jewelry
an adornment (as a bracelet or ring or necklace) made of precious metals and set with gems (or imitation gems)
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Kakemono
a Japanese (paper or silk) wall hanging; usually narrow with a picture or writing on it and a roller at the bottom
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lambrequin
short and decorative hanging for a shelf edge or top of a window casing
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linocut
a design carved in relief into a block of linoleum
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mandala
any of various geometric designs (usually circular) symbolizing the universe; used chiefly in Hinduism and Buddhism as an aid to meditation
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marqueterie, marquetry
inlaid veneers are fitted together to form a design or picture that is then used to ornament furniture
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mihrab
(Islam) a design in the shape of niche in a Muslim prayer rug; during worship the niche must be pointed toward Mecca
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motif, motive
a design or figure that consists of recurring shapes or colors, as in architecture or decoration
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ovolo, quarter round, thumb
a convex molding having a cross section in the form of a quarter of a circle or of an ellipse
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parqueterie, parquetry
a patterned wood inlay used to cover a floor
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pectoral, pectoral medallion
an adornment worn on the chest or breast
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pendant, pendent
an adornment that hangs from a piece of jewelry (necklace or earring)
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plume
a feather or cluster of feathers worn as an ornament
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polka dot
design consisting of a pattern of regularly spaced circular spots
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pom-pom, pompon
decoration consisting of a ball of tufted wool or silk; usually worn on a hat
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pyrograph
a design produced by pyrography
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quirk molding, quirk moulding
a molding having a small groove in it
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rib
a projecting molding on the underside of a vault or ceiling; may be ornamental or structural
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rosette
an ornament or pattern resembling a rose that is worn as a badge of office or as recognition of having won an honor
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screen saver
(computer science) a moving design that appears on a computer screen when there has been no input for a specified period of time
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diamante, sequin, spangle
adornment consisting of a small piece of shiny material used to decorate clothing
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spray
flower arrangement consisting of a single branch or shoot bearing flowers and foliage
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subbase
the lowest molding of an architectural base or of a baseboard
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sunburst
a design consisting of a central disk resembling the sun and rays emanating from it
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surbase
the molding or border above the base of a structure (a pedestal or podium or wall)
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arras, tapestry
a wall hanging of heavy handwoven fabric with pictorial designs
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tassel
adornment consisting of a bunch of cords fastened at one end
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tattoo
a design on the skin made by tattooing
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tetraskele, tetraskelion
a figure consisting of four stylized human arms or legs (or bent lines) radiating from a center
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tore, torus
commonly the lowest molding at the base of a column
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trefoil
an architectural ornament in the form of three arcs arranged in a circle
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passementerie, trim, trimming
a decoration or adornment on a garment
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triskele, triskelion
a figure consisting of three stylized human arms or legs (or three bent lines) radiating from a center
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vermiculation
a decoration consisting of wormlike carvings
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war paint
adornment consisting of paint applied to the face and body of certain Amerindians before a battle
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weave
pattern of weaving or structure of a fabric
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chaplet, coronal, garland, lei, wreath
flower arrangement consisting of a circular band of foliage or flowers for ornamental purposes
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marking
a pattern of marks
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flourish
an ornamental embellishment in writing
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topping
a flavorful addition on top of a dish
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make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.
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types:
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wreathe
decorate or deck with wreaths
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beset, encrust, incrust
decorate or cover lavishly (as with gems)
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braid
decorate with braids or ribbons
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broider, embroider
decorate with needlework
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stick
cover and decorate with objects that pierce the surface
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illustrate
supply with illustrations
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garland
adorn with bands of flowers or leaves
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fledge, flight
decorate with feathers
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bespangle, spangle
decorate with spangles
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foliate
decorate with leaves
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flag
decorate with flags
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bard, barde, caparison, dress up
put a caparison on
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bead
decorate by sewing beads onto
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pipe
trim with piping
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applique
sew on as a decoration
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gild the lily, paint the lily
adorn unnecessarily (something that is already beautiful)
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vermiculate
decorate with wavy or winding lines
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smock
embellish by sewing in straight lines crossing each other diagonally
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hang
decorate or furnish with something suspended
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prank
dress or decorate showily or gaudily
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tinsel
adorn with tinsel
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tart up
decorate in a cheap and flashy way
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stucco
decorate with stucco work
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redecorate
redo the decoration of an apartment or house
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panel
decorate with panels
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bejewel, jewel
adorn or decorate with precious stones
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filet, fillet
decorate with a lace of geometric designs
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scallop
decorate an edge with scallops
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bedizen
decorate tastelessly
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dress ship
decorate a ship with flags
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dress, garnish, trim
decorate (food), as with parsley or other ornamental foods
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trim
decorate, as with ornaments
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bedeck, bedight, deck
decorate
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festoon
decorate with strings of flowers
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enamel
coat, inlay, or surface with enamel
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inlay
decorate the surface of by inserting wood, stone, and metal
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lacquer
coat with lacquer
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begild, engild, gild
decorate with, or as if with, gold leaf or liquid gold
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illuminate
add embellishments and paintings to (medieval manuscripts)
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blazon, emblazon
decorate with heraldic arms
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color, colour, emblazon
decorate with colors
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fringe
adorn with a fringe
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fret
decorate with an interlaced design
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landscape
embellish with plants
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monogram
mark, print, or embroider with one’s initials or other letters
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faggot, fagot
ornament or join (fabric) by faggot stitch
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purl
embroider with gold or silver thread
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purl
edge or border with gold or silver embroidery
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plume
deck with a plume
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hatch
inlay with narrow strips or lines of a different substance such as gold or silver, for the purpose of decorating
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damascene
inlay metal with gold and silver
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japan
coat with a lacquer, as done in Japan
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miniate, rubricate
decorate (manuscripts) with letters painted red
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miniate
paint with red lead or vermilion
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be an ornament to
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