FESTOON


Meaning of FESTOON in English

I. (ˈ)fe|stün noun

( -s )

Etymology: French feston, from Italian festone, from festa celebration, feast — more at festa

1.

a. : a decorative chain (as of flowers or leaves) hanging typically in a curve between two points

decorated with festoons of flowers and ivy intertwined

b. : a carved, molded, or painted ornament representing a festoon : swag

around the mirror were carved festoons of flowers wound with ribbon

c. : a piece of fabric suspended or bound at intervals to form graceful rounded folds

a fringed damask festoon for the archway

2. : a usually hanging open loop or curve

the paper is looped over these spars in long festoons — F.H.Norris

especially : something suspended in a curve between two points

between the mulberry trees swing long festoons of grapevines

3. : something resembling a pendent garland

live oaks with long … festoons of Spanish moss — F.B.Gipson

4. : one of the somewhat quadrangular segments bordering the body of certain ticks — see tick illustration

II. transitive verb

( -ed/-ing/-s )

1.

a. : to hang upon in a festoon (as for adornment) : drape with festoons

razor grass … hung in emerald loops from branch to branch, festooning living foliage and dead stump alike — William Beebe

b. : hang down from like a pendent garland

blossoms festoon the vine

bearded moss festoons the branches

icicles festoon the eaves

c. : to hang upon or adorn as if comprising a festoon

the old wooden carriages … have passengers … hanging from the sides; the more hardy commuters even festoon tender and locomotive — H.T.De Sa

the margins of the manuscript were festooned with additions and corrections

2. : to form into a festoon : suspend in festoons

the telegraph wires whipped back and festooned themselves round our machine — Francis Yeats-Brown

specifically : to hang (material) in festoons for drying

3. dentistry

a. : to shape (a crown or band) to conform to the contour of tissues with which there is to be association

b. : to mold (the plate of a denture) about the base of the teeth or facings to resemble the natural gum line

III. transitive verb

: decorate : adorn ; also : cover 4c

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.