wreathe · verb — senses relating to intertwining or twisting.; To coil, curl, or twist (something); to shape (something) into circles or coils. It carries an Arena rating of 1807, earned across 99 head-to-head judged battles.
Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, wreathe ranks #224 of 17,180 for Most Ingenious Words, #611 of 17,165 for Most Beautiful Words, #875 of 17,187 for Most Malleable Words, #1,481 of 17,197 for Best Fossil-Poetry Words.
wreathe is pronounced /ɹiːð/.
Why “wreathe” is a great word
WREATHE — [Verb] To twist or coil something into the circular shape of a wreath, or to adorn something with such a form. From Middle English wrethen ("to twist"), partly from the past participle of writhen (from Old English wrīþan, "to twist, bind") and partly from the noun wrethe ("wreath"), from Old English wrǣþ ("bandage"), both from Proto-West Germanic *wrīþan ("to twist, weave"), from Proto-Indo-European *wreyt- ("to twist"). First attested in the Middle English period (before 1425). Unlike "garland," which names the finished circle, or "entwine," which suggests a general twisting, "wreathe" is the precise, purposive verb of circular formation. It is the hands coaxing willow stems into a hoop, the tendrils of smoke curling themselves into perfect rings above a candle, or ivy claiming a stone column in a slow, verdant spiral—the act of making a circle where none existed, a ritual of completion that briefly contains the linear.
❧ Essay by Lexicurio’s AI · definition, etymology & citations from published sources
Etymology
From Middle English wrethen (“to twist”), partly: * from wrethen (“twisted, wreathed”) (whence modern English wreathen (“(obsolete) made into a wreath; twisted”, adjective)), the past participle of writhen, wrythen (“to twist into a braid, coil, or wreath; to twist out of position or shape, deform; to twist together, intertwine; to twist about, writhe; to bend; to swathe, wrap; etc.”), from Old English wrīþan (“to twist; to bind; to wrap”), from Proto-West Germanic *wrīþan (“to twist; to weave”), from Proto-Germanic *wrīþaną (“to twist; to weave”), from Proto-Indo-European *wreyt- (“to twist”); and * from wreth, wrethe (“coiled or rounded shape; decorative garland, wreath; chaplet, crown; ring”, noun), from Old English *wreoþa, wriþa (“band, coil, ring”), from Proto-West Germanic *wriþō, f
verb
- Senses relating to intertwining or twisting.; To coil, curl, or twist (something); to shape (something) into circles or coils.
- Senses relating to intertwining or twisting.; To adorn (someone or something) with a garland or wreath.
- Senses relating to intertwining or twisting.; Of flowers, leaves, etc.: to form the shape of a wreath around (something).
- Senses relating to intertwining or twisting.; Often followed by in and the thing encircling: to coil or spiral around, or encircle, (someone or something); (by extension) to cover or envelop (someone or something).e.g.“wreathed in mystery”
- Senses relating to intertwining or twisting.; Followed by about, around, or round: to coil, twist, or wind (oneself or something) around a person or thing; (by extension) to cause (oneself or something) to cover or encircle a person or thing.e.g.“He had a kercher wreathed aboute his heed: […]” — 1530 July 28 (Gregorian calendar), Iohan Palsgraue [i.e., John Palsgrave], “The Table of Verbes”, in Lesclarcissement de la langue francoyse⸝ […], [London]: […] [Richard Pynson] fynnysshed by Iohan Ha
- Senses relating to intertwining or twisting.; Often followed by together: to entwine or twist (two or more people or things) together; to intertwine, to interweave.e.g.“[Y]ou haue learn'd (like Sir Protheus) to vvreath your Armes like a Male-content: […]” — c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]
- Senses relating to intertwining or twisting.; To form (a crown, garland, wreath, etc.) by entwining or twisting flowers, leaves, etc., together; also, to entwine or twist (flowers, leaves, etc.) together to form a crown, garland, wreath, etc.
- Senses relating to intertwining or twisting.; To strengthen (an earthen embankment) with hurdles of wattle.
- Senses relating to intertwining or twisting.; To form (something) by entwining or twisting two or more things together; also, to entwine or twist (something) with another thing.e.g.“Yf ther be twaine, one may defend the tother ouer throwne. / The single twyned cordes may no suche stresse indure / As cables brayded thre fould may, together wrethed swer [i.e., sure].” — a. 1548 (date written), “[Translations from the Bible.] Ecclesiastes 4.”, in Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, transl., edited by Frederick Morgan Padelford, The Poems of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (Uni
- Senses relating to intertwining or twisting.; Followed by on: to place (a yoke, symbolizing a burden) on someone's neck.
- Senses relating to intertwining or twisting.; Followed by about, around, or round: to coil, twist, or wind around a person or thing.
- Senses relating to intertwining or twisting.; Of mist, smoke, etc.: to move with a coiling, spiralling, or twisting motion.e.g.“I unsealed the vial mystical, / I outpoured the liquid thing, / And while the smoke came wreathing out, / I stood unshuddering.” — 1833 (date written), Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “A True Dream (Dreamed at Sidmouth, 1833)”, in Robert Browning, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, edited by Frederic G[eorge] Kenyon, New Poems, London: Smit
- Senses relating to intertwining or twisting.; Followed by with: to become intertwined with something.
- Senses relating to intertwining or twisting.; Of snow: to form drifts.
- Senses relating to vigorous movement.; To arrange (one's expression, face, etc.) into a smile; also (reflexive), of the lips, mouth, etc.: to arrange (itself or themselves) into a smile.e.g.“Contempt kept Bertram's anger down, / And wreathed to savage smile his frown.” — 1813, Walter Scott, “Canto First”, in Rokeby; a Poem, Edinburgh: […] [F]or John Ballantyne and Co. […]; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown; by James Ballantyne and Co., […], →OCLC, stanza X
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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