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wreathing

 [reeth]   Origin

wreath

   [reeth] noun, plural wreaths  [reethz, reeths] , verb
noun
1.
a circular band of flowers, foliage, or any ornamental work, for adorning the head or for any decorative purpose; a garland or chaplet.
2.
any ringlike, curving, or curling mass or formation: a wreath of clouds.
3.
(in stair building)
a.
a curved section of a handrail.
b.
Also called wreath·piece. a curved section of a string.
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verb (used with object), verb (used without object)
4.
to wreathe.

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Wreathing is always a great word to know.
So is lollapalooza. Does it mean:
an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.
the offspring of a zebra and a donkey.
LEARN MORE UNUSUAL WORDS WITH WORD DYNAMO...
Origin:
before 1000; Middle English wrethe, Old English writha something wound or coiled; akin to writhe

Related forms
wreath·like, adjective

Can be confused: wraith, wreath, wreathe, writhe.
Dictionary.com Unabridged

wreathe

   [reeth] 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, obsolete past participle of writhe

Related forms
wreath·er, noun
in·ter·wreathe, verb, -wreathed, -wreath·ing.

Can be confused: wraith, wreath, wreathe, writhe.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To wreathing
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

wreath
O.E. wriða "fillet, bandage, band" (lit. that which is wound around), from P.Gmc. *writhon (cf. O.N. riða, Dan. vride, O.H.G. ridan "to turn, twist," O.S., O.Fris. wreth "angry," Du. wreed "rough, harsh, cruel," O.H.G. reid "twisted," O.N. reiða "angry"), from PIE *wreit- "to turn, bend"
EXPAND
(cf. O.E. wriða "band," wriðan "to twist, torture," wraþ "angry"), from base *wer- "to turn, bend" (see versus). Meaning "ring or garland of flowers" is first recorded 1563.

wreathe
1530, a back-formation from wrethen, M.E. pp. of writhe.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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