wreathe

/ri:ð/

Thân thiện

The children wreathe colorful flowers into a circle.

Definition

1. Verb (transitive):

   • To form, shape, or twist into a circular band or ring, especially like a wreath.
   • To encircle, adorn, or decorate with or as if with a wreath.
   • To envelop or surround something in a coiling, curling, or sinuous manner.

2. Verb (intransitive):

   • To move or extend in a twisting, coiling, or undulating pattern.
   • To take on a coiled or circular form.

Usage and Examples

• Transitive Verb (to form into a wreath):

  • She learned to wreathe flowers and vines into beautiful garlands for the festival.
  • The artisan will wreathe the laurel leaves for the champion's crown.

• Transitive Verb (to decorate or encircle):

  • They decided to wreathe the doorway with pine branches for the holidays.
  • Fog wreathed the ancient castle, giving it a mysterious appearance.

• Intransitive Verb (to move sinuously):

  • Smoke from the chimney began to wreathe slowly into the cold morning air.
  • The snake wreathed through the tall grass.

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• Figurative Use (to surround with an abstract quality):

  • Her face was wreathed in smiles when she heard the good news. (Her face was covered with or framed by smiles.)
  • A sense of melancholy wreathed his memories of the old house. (Melancholy surrounded his memories.)

• Literary/Descriptive Use:

  • Often used in poetic or descriptive writing to depict something coiling, curling, or wrapping around something else.
  • Vines wreathed the old stone columns of the ruin.

Variants and Related Words

• Wreath (noun): A circular band of flowers, foliage, or other material, used for decoration or as a symbol.
  • They placed a wreath on the memorial.
• Wreathed (adjective): Adorned or encircled with a wreath or something resembling one.
  • The wreathed pillars were a magnificent sight.
• Enwreathe (verb, less common): A synonym meaning to encircle or surround with a wreath.

Synonyms

• Encircle: To form a circle around.
• Garland: To decorate with a garland (a similar circular decoration).
• Twine: To cause to wind or coil around something.
• Coil: To wind into rings or spirals.
• Swathe: To wrap or envelop.

Phrasal Verbs / Common Constructions

• Wreathe around/in/with: These prepositions are commonly used to indicate what is being encircled or the material used for encircling.
  • Ivy wreathed around the oak tree.
  • The goddess was wreathed in light.
  • They wreathed the arch with roses.

Idioms and Fixed Phrases

• Wreathed in smiles: An idiom describing a face that is beaming with a broad, encircling smile.
  • The proud parents were wreathed in smiles at the graduation ceremony.
• Wreathed in mystery/clouds/secrecy: Describes something that is surrounded by or enveloped in an abstract quality, making it obscure or hidden.
  • The origins of the artifact remain wreathed in mystery.

Học thuật

Verb

1. form into a wreath
2. decorate or deck with wreaths
   • wreathe the grave site
3. move with slow, sinuous movements

Từ đồng nghĩa

• wind