wreath

views updated Jun 11 2018

wreath / rē[unvoicedth]/ • n. (pl. wreaths / rē[voicedth]z; rē[unvoicedth]s/ ) an arrangement of flowers, leaves, or stems fastened in a ring and used for decoration or for laying on a grave. ∎  a carved representation of such a wreath. ∎  a similar ring made of or resembling soft, twisted material: a gold wreath. ∎  a curl or ring of smoke or cloud: wreaths of mist swirled up into the cold air.

wreath

views updated Jun 11 2018

wreath.
1. Curved portion of the handrail following a turn around each angle of a geometrical stair (which has no newels), or the continuous turn of the handrail in such a circular or elliptical stair.

2. Circular or elliptical garland of flowers, leaves, or ribbons, used in Classical decoration.

wreath

views updated May 14 2018

wreath
A. twisted band or coil OE.; bank or drift of snow XVIII;

B. chaplet or garland of flowers, leaves, etc. XVI. OE. wriða, f. reduced var. of the base of WRITHE.
So wreathe twist, coil. XVI. perh. back-formation f. wreathen (XIV) arranged in coils or curves, ME. wrēthen, OE. wriðen, pp. of wrīðan WRITHE.

Wreath

views updated May 17 2018

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.