garden

¹

[ gahr-dn ]

noun

1. a plot of ground, usually near a house, where flowers, shrubs, vegetables, fruits, or herbs are cultivated.
2. a piece of ground or other space, commonly with ornamental plants, trees, etc., used as a park or other public recreation area:

   a public garden.

3. a fertile and delightful spot or region.
4. British. yard ²( def 1 ).

adjective

1. pertaining to, produced in, or suitable for cultivation or use in a garden:

   fresh garden vegetables; garden furniture.

2. garden-variety.

verb (used without object)

1. to lay out, cultivate, or tend a garden.

verb (used with object)

1. to cultivate as a garden.

Garden

²

[ gahr-dn ]

noun

1. Alexander, 1730?–91, U.S. naturalist, born in Scotland.
2. Mary, 1877–1967, U.S. soprano.

garden

/ ˈɡɑːdən /

noun

1. 1. an area of land, usually planted with grass, trees, flowerbeds, etc, adjoining a house US and Canadian wordyard
   2. ( as modifier )

      a garden chair

2. 1. an area of land used for the cultivation of ornamental plants, herbs, fruit, vegetables, trees, etc
   2. ( as modifier ) horticultural

      garden tools

3. often plural such an area of land that is open to the public, sometimes part of a park

   botanical gardens

4. 1. a fertile and beautiful region
   2. ( as modifier )

      a garden paradise

5. modifier provided with or surrounded by a garden or gardens

   a garden flat

6. lead a person up the garden path informal.
   to mislead or deceive a person

adjective

1. common or garden informal.
   ordinary; unexceptional

verb

1. to work in, cultivate, or take care of (a garden, plot of land, etc)

Derived Forms

• ˈgardenless, adjective
• ˈgarden-ˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• garden·a·ble adjective
• garden·less adjective
• garden·like adjective
• un·gardened adjective
• well-gardened adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of garden¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English gardin, from Old North French gardin, Old French jardin, from Germanic; compare Old High German gartin-, German Garten; yard ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of garden¹

C14: from Old French gardin, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German gart enclosure; see yard ² (sense 1)

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. lead up / down the garden path, to deceive or mislead in an enticing way; lead on; delude:

   The voters had been led up the garden path too often to take a candidate's promises seriously.

More idioms and phrases containing garden

In addition to the idiom beginning with garden , also see lead down the garden path .

Example Sentences

“It was a simple idea of, ‘What if Wallace invents a smart gnome, a robot gnome, to help Gromit in the garden, and things inevitably go wrong?’

From Los Angeles Times

These results add to a growing understanding among anthropologists that Indigenous people in the region managed so-called forest gardens that fed large numbers of people without domesticated crops.

From Science Magazine

Few rock frontmen, though, would have been open to receiving it while in a car listening to a news report about the theft of a giant model gorilla from a Scottish garden centre.

From BBC

And so, the infrastructure they associate with walking stops at gardens or walking tracks.

From BBC

As we talk sitting on a traditional charpoy bed, his granddaughters bring us a plate of pears they’ve picked from their garden.

From BBC

Related Words

• back yard
• bed
• field
• greenhouse
• nursery
• patio
• terrace