Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To furnish, provide, or adorn with something ornamental; embellish.
  • transitive verb To confer a medal or other honor on.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To distinguish; grace; honor.
  • To deck with something becoming or ornamental; adorn; beautify; embellish: as, to decorate the person; to decorate an edifice.
  • To confer distinction upon by means of a badge or medal of honor: as, to decorate an artist with the cross of the Legion of Honor.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To deck with that which is becoming, ornamental, or honorary; to adorn; to beautify; to embellish
  • transitive verb (Arch.) a name given by some writers to the perfected English Gothic architecture; it may be considered as having flourished from about a. d. 1300 to a. d. 1375.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb transitive To furnish with decorations.
  • verb transitive To improve the appearance of an interior of a house, room, office and so forth.
  • verb computing (transitive) (In some programming languages) To extend a method, etc. by attaching some further code item.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb award a mark of honor, such as a medal, to
  • verb make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.
  • verb provide with decoration
  • verb be beautiful to look at

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[From Middle English decorat, made beautiful, from Latin decorātus, past participle of decorāre, to beautify, from decus, decor-, honor, ornament; see dek- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin decoratus, past participle of decorare ("to adorn, distinguish, honor"), from decus ("ornament, grace, dignity, honor"), akin to decor ("elegance, grace, beauty, ornament"), from decet ("adorn, befit").

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Examples

  • The Putz -- a German word for "decorate" -- tells the story of the birth of Christ in a more elaborate way than the typical nativity scene.

    Daytona Beach News-Journal Online By MARK HARPER, Staff writer 2009

  • The traditional way to decorate is to sprinkle powdered sugar on the top, with a cutout of a cross or a shell, to symbolize St. James, on top.

    Tarta de Santiago (St. James' Cake) Jessica 2008

  • The traditional way to decorate is to sprinkle powdered sugar on the top, with a cutout of a cross or a shell, to symbolize St. James, on top.

    Archive 2008-07-01 Mary 2008

  • Man, now I want to redecorate the Civic also known as decorate it in the first place.

    runnin' down a dream Annie 2006

  • State puts a schoolmaster into a schoolhouse, without adequate payment for himself, without adequate provision either for building or the upkeep of building; it bids him to keep it clean, but pays no servant to wash or sweep; and, while enjoining the absence of dirt, it checks and hampers that desire to decorate, which is the positive side of order and taste.

    Irish Books and Irish People Stephen Lucius Gwynn 1907

  • Flowers, stars, and titles decorate our family's May altar.

    Castle of the Immaculate 2009

  • Flowers, stars, and titles decorate our family's May altar.

    Castle of the Immaculate 2009

  • For dining rooms, the easiest (and fastest) way to decorate is to get a set.

    Apartment Therapy Main 2008

  • Williams High School students might "decorate" it as a graduation prank.

    Three Eggs in Space: Public art that the public loves or loves to hate Brigid Schulte 2011

  • Williams High School students might "decorate" it as a graduation prank.

    Three Eggs in Space: Public art that the public loves or loves to hate Brigid Schulte 2011

Comments

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  • I read all of my mother's decorator magazines throughout middle and high school. Chinoiserie was often used to describe antiques.

    See skipvia's Free Association List.

    February 4, 2008