embellish
verb/ɪmˈbɛlɪʃ/ · /ɛm-/
Etymology From Middle English embelishen, from Old French embellir, from em- + bel.
1
To make more beautiful and attractive by adding ornamentation; to decorate.
- The old book cover was embellished with golden letters
- He was a notable patron of the arts who lavishly embellished his royal residences and rebuilt and enlarged Westminster Abbey, destined as the burialplace of himself and many of his successors, in honor of his patron saint, Edward the Confessor.1998, C.H. Knowles, “Henry III (1207-1272; r. 1216-72)”, in Medieval England: An Encyclopedia, Garland Publishing, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 345, column 2:
2
Broadly To enhance by adding something not strictly integral or necessary.
- A Scythian Shepherd, so imbelliſhed With Natures pride, and richeſt furniture? His looks do menace heauen & dare the Gods, His fiery eies are fixt vpon the earth.c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene ii:
- Podolski gave Walcott a chance to further embellish Arsenal's first-half performance when he eluded James Perch and slipped the ball through to the striker.2012 December 29, Paul Doyle, “Arsenal's Theo Walcott hits hat-trick in thrilling victory over Newcastle”, in The Guardian, London:
3
To make something sound or look better or more acceptable than it is in reality; to distort, embroider, or even misrepresent or lie.
- to embellish a story, the truth
- Derived terms
- disembellish, embellishable, embellisher, embellishingly, embellishment, overembellish, unembellishing