garnish

[ gahr-nish ]
/ ˈgɑr nɪʃ /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR garnish ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

to provide or supply with something ornamental; adorn; decorate.
to provide (a food) with something that adds flavor, decorative color, etc.: to garnish boiled potatoes with chopped parsley.
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

something placed around or on a food or in a beverage to add flavor, decorative color, etc.
adornment or decoration.
Chiefly British. a fee formerly demanded of a new convict or worker by the warden, boss, or fellow prisoners or workers.

QUIZZES

CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH THESE WORDS FROM "LITTLE WOMEN"

"Little Women" may be a classic, but that doesn't mean we all know the meanings of the vocab words from the book. Can you define these words correctly and make Jo proud?
Question 1 of 10
earnest
full seriousness, as of intention or purpose.
a feeling of dread, anxiety, or anguish.
urgent character; imperativeness; insistence; importunateness.
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Origin of garnish

1300–50; Middle English garnishen < Old French garniss- (extended stem of garnir, guarnir to furnish < Gmc); cf. warn

OTHER WORDS FROM garnish

Words nearby garnish

garnet paper, garnetiferous, garnett, garni, garnierite, garnish, garnishee, garnishment, garniture, garofalo, garonne
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to garnish

trim, adornment, ornament, enhancement, decoration, ornamentation, trimming, tinsel, furbelow, gingerbread, bedeck, deck, beautify, decorate, enhance, grace, adorn

Example sentences from the Web for garnish

British Dictionary definitions for garnish

garnish
/ (ˈɡɑːnɪʃ) /

verb (tr)

to decorate; trim
to add something to (food) in order to improve its appearance or flavour
law
  1. to serve with notice of proceedings; warn
  2. obsolete to summon to proceedings already in progress
  3. to attach (a debt)
slang to extort money from

noun

Derived forms of garnish

garnisher, noun

Word Origin for garnish

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