garnish

[gahr-nish]

verb (used with object)

1. to provide or supply with something ornamental; adorn; decorate.

   a free-standing wall whose lower reaches are garnished by hanging gardens.

   Synonyms: enhance, bedizen, bedeck, trim, beautify, ornament, embellish

2. to provide (a food) with something that adds flavor, decorative color, etc..

   to garnish boiled potatoes with chopped parsley.

3. Law.

   1. to attach (as money due or property belonging to a debtor) by garnishment; garnishee.

      The court garnished his wages when he refused to pay child support.

   2. to summon in, so as to take part in litigation already pending between others.

noun

1. something placed around or on a food or in a beverage to add flavor, decorative color, etc.

2. adornment or decoration.

   Synonyms: garniture, ornament

3. Chiefly British.,  a fee formerly demanded of a new convict or worker by the warden, boss, or fellow prisoners or workers.

garnish

/ ˈɡɑːnɪʃ /

verb

1. to decorate; trim

2. to add something to (food) in order to improve its appearance or flavour

3. law

   1. to serve with notice of proceedings; warn

   2. obsolete,  to summon to proceedings already in progress

   3. to attach (a debt)

4. slang,  to extort money from

noun

1. a decoration; trimming

2. something, such as parsley, added to a dish for its flavour or decorative effect

3. obsolete,  a payment illegally extorted, as from a prisoner by his jailer

Other Word Forms

• garnishable adjective
• garnisher noun
• overgarnish verb (used with object)
• regarnish verb (used with object)
• undergarnish verb (used with object)
• ungarnished adjective
• well-garnished adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of garnish¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English garnishen, from Old French garniss- (extended stem of garnir, guarnir “to furnish,” from Germanic ); warn

Word History and Origins

Origin of garnish¹

C14: from Old French garnir to adorn, equip, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German warnōn to pay heed

Example Sentences

Layer with turkey, gravy and cranberry sauce—or add a caviar garnish to your Thanksgiving spread.

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And the IRS will hear your theory about returning to the gold standard — right before they garnish your wages.

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They’re both carefully crafted rectangular stacks of beef with a decorative garnish and sauce artfully streaked across the plate.

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Defaulted borrowers have their wages, tax refunds and Social Security garnished.

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The cooked toast is garnished with fresh fruit, butter, powdered sugar and maple syrup.

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