Definitions

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

  • transitive verb To decorate (metal) with wavy patterns of inlay or etching.
  • noun Metalwork decorated with wavy patterns of inlay or etching.
  • noun Fabric having a wavy pattern; moiré.
  • adjective Of or relating to damascening.
  • adjective Of or relating to damask.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Of or pertaining to the city of Damascus, anciently and still the capital of Syria, and under the Ommiad califs capital of the Mohammedan empire, long celebrated for its works in steel. See damascus.
  • [lowercase] Of or pertaining to the art of damaskeening, or to something made by that process.
  • The style of work displayed in the artistic watered-steel blades for which the city of Damascus is celebrated. The variegated color of these blades is due to the crystallization of cast-steel highly charged with carbon, an effect produced by a careful process of cooling. The phrase is also applied to ornaments slightly etched on a steel surface, and also to other surfaces of similar appearance, as, for example, to an etched surface of metallic iron.
  • noun An inhabitant or a native of the city of Damascus.
  • noun [L. Damascena, ⟨ Gr. Δαμασκηνή, the region about Damascus, prop. fem. of the adj.] The district in which Damascus is situated.
  • noun [lowercase] Same as damson.
  • Same as damaskeen.

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

  • adjective Of or relating to Damascus.
  • noun A kind of plum, now called damson. See damson.
  • transitive verb Same as damask, or damaskeen, v. t.

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

  • adjective inlaid with silver or gold

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

  • verb inlay metal with gold and silver
  • adjective of or relating to or characteristic of Damascus or its people
  • noun a design produced by inlaying gold or silver into steel
  • noun a native or inhabitant of Damascus
  • adjective (of metals) decorated or inlaid with a wavy pattern of different (especially precious) metals

Etymologies

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

[French damasquiner, from damasquin, of Damascus, from Latin Damascēnus, from Greek Damaskēnos, from Damaskos, Damascus.]

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Examples

  • ++Vin might have some kind of damascene conversion and becme a lot more conducive to what we want him to be ...

    Telegraph Blogs 2009

  • Born out of a damascene conversion to ecstasy, acid house, and portable sampling technology, Screamadelica allowed the band and producer Andrew Weatherall to create open-ended pieces that could sit comfortably alongside the experimental music of the past, but also find a home in the new dance culture.

    This week's new live music 2011

  • For every CEO who has a damascene conversion and transforms or builds their business along ethical lines think Anita Roddick of the Body Shop there are thousands who don't.

    In a globalised world we need globalised regulation 2011

  • Never had a musical damascene moment _ sounds elusive, like the female orgasm ...

    Ellee -gaic Musings Newmania 2007

  • Had some nice conversations in the hall outside the dealers 'room anyway, then went off for an early dinner with damascene and other East Coasters at the hotel's fancy restaurant.

    11/3/07: World Fantasy, day 2 zellandyne 2007

  • And if you peer between the razzle-dazzle of jewels to the metalwork, you find a wealth of design and technique, from engraving to damascene gold to the openwork carving on two 17th-century ceremonial maces.

    Glories of Gift-Giving Diplomacy 2009

  • I chatted with damascene and others, to the lobby where

    11/4/07: World Fantasy, day 3 jaylake 2007

  • He too - like Orwell until he had a damascene conversion - was a conscientious objector to the second world war.

    Jura Duty 2007

  • But nothing tops the platinum-handled damascene razor by Hommage, which resembles the tool used by Sweeney Todd, and features 4,500 layers of handcrafted steel ($30,000; hommage. com).

    Grooming: Razors To Relish 2008

  • They opened one of these and found it full of weapons curiously adorned with open work and with gold and silver damascene and jewels.

    The Book of The Thousand Nights And A Night 2006

Comments

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  • a damascene conversion..

    November 25, 2009