embroider
/im'brɔidə/ Cách viết khác : (broider) /'brɔidə/
Definition
- Verb:
- To decorate cloth or other material by sewing patterns on it with a needle and thread: This is the primary meaning, referring to the craft of adding ornamental stitching to fabric.
- To add fictitious or exaggerated details to a story or account: This figurative meaning describes making a narrative more interesting or dramatic by inventing or embellishing facts.
Usage and Examples
- Literal Meaning (Decorative Sewing):
- She learned to embroider intricate floral patterns on linen.
- The traditional costume was beautifully embroidered with gold thread.
- Figurative Meaning (Embellishing a Story):
- He tends to embroider his fishing stories, making the fish bigger each time.
- The legend has been embroidered over centuries with many fantastical details.
Advanced Usage and Nuances
- "Embroider on/upon": To elaborate or expand a story with added details.
- He loves to embroider upon his travel adventures.
- The past participle "embroidered" is often used as an adjective.
- An embroidered tablecloth.
- An embroidered tale of heroism.
Variants and Related Words
- Embroidery (n): 1. The art or process of decorating fabric with needlework. 2. The embellished details added to a story.
- She does beautiful embroidery.
- His account was mostly fact, with a little embroidery.
- Embroiderer (n): A person who embroiders.
Synonyms
- For decorative sewing: Stitch, adorn, ornament, decorate.
- For embellishing a story: Embellish, elaborate, exaggerate, dramatize, embellish, fabricate (stronger).
Idioms and Common Phrases
- To embroider the truth: A common phrase meaning to tell a version of events that is not entirely accurate, often to make it sound better.
- It wasn't a lie; she just embroidered the truth a little.
Verb
-
add details to
-
decorate with needlework
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