wreath

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
wreath
    n 1: flower arrangement consisting of a circular band of foliage
         or flowers for ornamental purposes [syn: {wreath},
         {garland}, {coronal}, {chaplet}, {lei}]
    
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Wreath \Wreath\ (?; 277), n.; pl. {Wreaths}. [OE. wrethe, AS.
   wr[=ae][eth] a twisted band, fr. wr[imac][eth]an to twist.
   See {Writhe}.]
   [1913 Webster]
   1. Something twisted, intertwined, or curled; as, a wreath of
      smoke; a wreath of flowers. "A wrethe of gold." --Chaucer.
      [1913 Webster]

            [He] of his tortuous train
            Curled many a wanton wreath.          --Milton.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. A garland; a chaplet, esp. one given to a victor.
      [1913 Webster]

            Conquest doth grant
            He dear wreath to the Grecian combatant. --Chapman.
      [1913 Webster]

            Far back in the ages,
            The plow with wreaths was crowned.    --Bryant.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. (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.
      [1913 Webster]
    
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Wreathe \Wreathe\, v. t. [imp. {Wreathed}; p. p. {Wreathed};
   Archaic {Wreathen}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Wreathing}.] [See
   {Wreath}, n.] [Written also {wreath}.]
   [1913 Webster]
   1. To cause to revolve or writhe; to twist about; to turn.
      [Obs.]
      [1913 Webster]

            And from so heavy sight his head did wreathe.
                                                  --Spenser.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To twist; to convolve; to wind one about another; to
      entwine.
      [1913 Webster]

            The nods and smiles of recognition into which this
            singular physiognomy was wreathed.    --Sir W.
                                                  Scott.
      [1913 Webster]

            From his slack hand the garland wreathed for Eve
            Down dropped.                         --Milton.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. To surround with anything twisted or convolved; to
      encircle; to infold.
      [1913 Webster]

            Each wreathed in the other's arms.    --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

            Dusk faces with withe silken turbants wreathed.
                                                  --Milton.
      [1913 Webster]

            And with thy winding ivy wreathes her lance.
                                                  --Dryden.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. To twine or twist about; to surround; to encircle.
      [1913 Webster]

            In the flowers that wreathe the sparkling bowl,
            Fell adders hiss.                     --Prior.
      [1913 Webster]
    
from Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
163 Moby Thesaurus words for "wreath":
      O, Old Mug, achievement, alerion, animal charge, annular muscle,
      annulet, annulus, areola, argent, armorial bearings, armory, arms,
      aureole, azure, bandeau, bar, bar sinister, baton, bays, bearings,
      bend, bend sinister, billet, blazon, blazonry, bordure, boughpot,
      bouquet, boutonniere, braid, broad arrow, buttonhole, cadency mark,
      canton, chaplet, charge, chevron, chief, circle, circuit,
      circumference, circus, civic crown, closed circle, coat of arms,
      cockatrice, corona, coronal, coronet, corsage, crescent, crest,
      cross, cross moline, crown, cup, cycle, device, diadem, difference,
      differencing, discus, disk, eagle, ermine, ermines, erminites,
      erminois, escutcheon, eternal return, fairy ring, falcon, fess,
      fess point, festoon, field, file, flanch, fleur-de-lis,
      flower arrangement, fret, fur, fusil, garland, glory, griffin,
      gules, gyron, halo, hatchment, helmet, heraldic device,
      honor point, impalement, impaling, inescutcheon, label, lasso,
      laurel, laurels, lei, lion, logical circle, loop, looplet,
      loving cup, lozenge, magic circle, mantling, marshaling, martlet,
      mascle, metal, motto, mullet, nombril point, noose, nosegay,
      octofoil, or, orbit, ordinary, orle, pale, palm, palms, paly, pean,
      pheon, plait, posy, pot, purpure, quarter, quartering, radius,
      ring, rondelle, rose, round, roundel, sable, saltire, saucer,
      scutcheon, shield, sphincter, spray, spread eagle, subordinary,
      tenne, tincture, torse, tressure, trophy, unicorn, vair, vert,
      vicious circle, wheel, wreathwork, yale

    

[email protected]