Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
Related Searches
on Ask.com
Synonyms
Nearby Entries
garish - 4 dictionary results

gar⋅ish

  [gair-ish, gar-]
Use garish in a Sentence
–adjective
1. crudely or tastelessly colorful, showy, or elaborate, as clothes or decoration.
2. excessively ornate or elaborate, as buildings or writings.
3. dressed in or ornamented with bright colors.
4. excessively bright; glaring.
Origin:
1535–45; earlier gaurish, perh. equiv. to obs. gaure to stare (ME gauren < ON) + -ish 1

Related forms:
gar⋅ish⋅ly, adverb
gar⋅ish⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1. loud, tawdry. See gaudy 1 .
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To garish
gar·ish   (gâr'ĭsh, gār'-)   
adj.  
    1. Marked by strident color or excessive ornamentation; gaudy.
    2. Loud and flashy: garish makeup. See Synonyms at gaudy1.
  2. Glaring; dazzling: "Hide me from Day's garish eye" (John Milton).

[Origin unknown.]
gar'ish·ly adv., gar'ish·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Garish

Gar"ish\, a. [Cf. OE. gauren to stare; of uncertain origin. Cf. gairish.]

1. Showy; dazzling; ostentatious; attracting or exciting attention. "The garish sun." "A garish flag." --Shak. "In . . . garish colors." --Asham. "The garish day." --J. H. Newman.

Garish like the laughters of drunkenness. --Jer. Taylor.

2. Gay to extravagance; flighty.

It makes the mind loose and garish. --South. -- Gar"ish*ly, adv. -- Garish*ness, n. --Jer. Taylor.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Cite This Source
Language Translation for : garish
Spanish: chillón, llamativo, estridente,
German: grell,
Japanese: けばけばしい
More Translations »

garish 
1545, possibly from M.E. gawren "to stare," which is of unknown origin, perhaps from O.N. gaurr "rough fellow."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Search another word or see garish on Thesaurus | Reference