Etymology : Middle English wrethe, from Old English writha; akin to Old English wrIthan to twist; more at WRITHE
Pronunciation : 'rEth
Function : noun
Date : before 12th century
1. rim; ring; crown. wreath\wreath\ (?; 277), n.; pl. wreaths (#). [oe. wrethe, as. wr&aemacr;? a twisted band, fr. wrī?an to twist. see:
writhe.].
2. something twisted, intertwined, or curled; as, a wreath of smoke; a wreath of flowers. "a wrethe of gold." [he] of his tortuous train curled many a wanton wreath.
3. a garland; a chaplet, esp. one given to a victor. conquest doth grant he dear wreath to the grecian combatant. far back in the ages, the plow with wreaths was crowned.
4. (her.) an appendage to the shield, placed above it, and supporting the crest (see:
illust. of crest). it generally represents a twist of two cords of silk, one tinctured like the principal metal, the other like the principal color in the arms.wreath e \wreathe\ , v. t. [imp. wreathed ; p. p. wreathed; archaic wreathen ; p. pr. & vb. n. wreathing.] [see:
wreath, n.] [written also wreath.].
5. to cause to revolve or writhe; to twist about; to turn. [obs.] and from so heavy sight his head did wreathe.
6. to twist; to convolve; to wind one about another; to entwine. the nods and smiles of recognition into which this singular physiognomy was wreathed. w. scott. from his slack hand the garland wreathed for eve down dropped.
7. to surround with anything twisted or convolved; to encircle; to infold. each wreathed in the other's arms. dusk faces with withe silken turbants wreathed. and with thy winding ivy wreathes her lance.
8. to twine or twist about; to surround; to encircle. in the flowers that wreathe the sparkling bowl, fell adders hiss.wreath flower arrangement consisting of a circular band of foliage or flowers for ornamental purposes [syn: garland, coronal, chaplet, lei] encircle with or as if with a wreath; "her face was wreathed with blossoms" [syn: wreathe].
9. Something twisted, intertwined, or curled; as, a wreath of smoke; a wreath of flowers.
10. A garland; a chaplet, esp. one given to a victor.
11. An appendage to the shield, placed above it, and supporting the crest.
12. It generally represents a twist of two cords of silk, one tinctured like the principal metal, the other like the principal color in the arms. flower arrangement consisting of a circular band of foliage or flowers for ornamental purposes encircle with or as if with a wreath; "Her face was wreathed with blossoms".
13. 1. A wreath is an arrangement of flowers and leaves, usually in the shape of a circle, which you put on a grave or by a statue to show that you remember a person who has died or people who have died. The coffin lying before the altar was bare, except for a single wreath of white roses.
14. A wreath is a circle of leaves or flowers which someone wears around their head.
15. A wreath is a circle of leaves which some people hang on the front door of their house at Christmas.