Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) -
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wreathe
Audio Help / rið / Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation [ reeth ] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation verb, wreathed; wreathed or (Archaic ) wreath·en; wreath·ing. –verb (used with object) 1. to encircle or adorn with or as with a wreath.
2. to form as a wreath by twisting or twining.
3. to surround in curving or curling masses or form.
4. to envelop: a face wreathed in smiles.
–verb (used without object) 5. to take the form of a wreath or wreaths.
6. to move in curving or curling masses, as smoke.
[Origin:
1520–30; earlier
wrethe, partly v. use of
wreath , partly back formation from
wrethen, obs. ptp. of
writhe ]
—Related forms wreather, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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American Heritage Dictionary -
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wreathe
Audio Help (rēth ) Pronunciation Key
v.
wreathed , wreath·ing , wreathes
v.
tr.
To twist or entwine into a wreath.
To twist or curl into a wreathlike shape or contour.
To crown, decorate, or encircle with or as if with a wreath.
To coil or curl.
To form a wreath or wreathlike shape around.
v.
intr.
To assume the form of a wreath.
To curl, writhe, or spiral: The smoke wreathed upward.
[From wreath .]
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Online Etymology Dictionary -
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wreathe
1530, a back-formation from
wrethen, M.E. pp. of
writhe .
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
WordNet -
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wreathe verb 1. move with slow, sinuous movements 2. decorate or deck with wreaths; "wreathe the grave site" 3. form into a wreath
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary -
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wreathe [riːð] verb
to cover
Example:
faces wreathed in smiles
Arabic: يُغَطّي، يُزَيِّن، يُكَلِّل
Chinese (Simplified): 覆盖
Chinese (Traditional): 覆蓋
Czech: pokrývat
Danish: indhylle
Dutch: omkransen
Estonian: pärgama, katma
Finnish: verhota
French: rayonnant
German: schmücken
Greek: τυλίγω, στολίζω
Hungarian: övez
Icelandic: þekja, umlykja, sveipa
Indonesian: menyaput
Italian: coprire
Japanese: 包む
Korean: …을 둘러싸다
Latvian: smaidā savilktas sejas
Lithuanian: apgaubti, apsiausti, skendėti
Norwegian: omkranse, innhylle
Polish: pokryć
Portuguese (Brazil): cobrir, coroar, envolver
Portuguese (Portugal): cobrir(-se) de
Romanian: a radia
Russian: охватывать
Slovak: pokryť
Slovenian: pokriti
Spanish: cubrir, envolver, adornar, coronar
Swedish: idel , hela
Turkish: kaplamak
See also: wreath
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary, © 2000-2006 K Dictionaries Ltd.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary -
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Wreathe
Wreathe\, v. t. [imp.
Wreathed ; p. p.
Wreathed ; Archaic
Wreathen ; p. pr. & vb. n.
Wreathing .] [See
Wreath , n.] [Written also
wreath .]
1. To cause to revolve or writhe; to twist about; to turn. [Obs.]
And from so heavy sight his head did wreathe. --Spenser.
2. To twist; to convolve; to wind one about another; to entwine.
The nods and smiles of recognition into which this singular physiognomy was wreathed. --Sir W. Scott.
From his slack hand the garland wreathed for Eve Down dropped. --Milton.
3. To surround with anything twisted or convolved; to encircle; to infold.
Each wreathed in the other's arms. --Shak.
Dusk faces with withe silken turbants wreathed. --Milton.
And with thy winding ivy wreathes her lance. --Dryden.
4. To twine or twist about; to surround; to encircle.
In the flowers that wreathe the sparkling bowl, Fell adders hiss. --Prior.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary -
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Wreathe
Wreathe\, v. i. To be intewoven or entwined; to twine together; as, a bower of wreathing trees. --Dryden.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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