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fancywork

American  
[fan-see-wurk] / ˈfæn siˌwɜrk /

noun

  1. ornamental needlework.


fancywork British  
/ ˈfænsɪˌwɜːk /

noun

  1. any ornamental needlework, such as embroidery or crochet

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of fancywork

First recorded in 1800–10; fancy + work

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

How well the role’s vocal fancywork will suit her voice in the big house remains to be seen, but one way or the other, she instantly becomes a part of Met history.

From New York Times • Sep. 16, 2011

But does she ever indulge in coloratura fancywork, complete with interpolated high C’s and D’s and all manner of elaborate embellishments.

From New York Times • Mar. 25, 2011

The style was called rococo�itself an onomatopoeic image of the art �from the French word rocaille, meaning fancywork in rocks and shells.

From Time Magazine Archive

He had made a good living painting fancywork on carriages and buggies.

From Time Magazine Archive

She was apt to have half a dozen unfinished pieces of fancywork on hand, and her locker in the carpentry-room held several ambitious attempts that had never reached fruition.

From For the Sake of the School by Brazil, Angela