furbelow
[fur-buh-loh]
noun
a ruffle or flounce, as on a woman's skirt or petticoat.
any bit of showy trimming or finery.
verb (used with object)
to ornament with or as if with furbelows.
RELATED WORDS
curio, ornament, bauble, souvenir, bric-a-brac, embellishment, color, wreath, trinket, finery, design, ribbon, plaque, twist, ornamentation, quirk, trifle, toy, thingamajig, frill
Origin of furbelow
First recorded in 1670–80; variant of falbala
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for furbelow
Historical Examples of furbelow
Her sex was the very essence of her; she had no need to wear it like a furbelow.
The Nest BuilderBeatrice Forbes-Robertson Hale
How ridiculous that one should suffer from want of a frill or a furbelow!
The Golden CenserJohn McGovern
A furbelow of precious stones, a hat buttoned with a diamond, a brocade waistcoat or petticoat, are standing topics.
Then why, in the name of common sense, did you gaze so earnestly at the furbelow lady herself?
The Widow BarnabyFrances Trollope
And, if it were a mere fal-lal, a furbelow of larval coquetry, even that would not surprise me.
The Glow-Worm and Other BeetlesJean Henri Fabre
furbelow
noun
verb
Word Origin for furbelow
C18: by folk etymology from French dialect farbella; see falbala
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper