embroider

[ em-broi-der ]

verb (used with object)

1. to decorate with ornamental needlework.
2. to produce or form in needlework.
3. to adorn or embellish rhetorically, especially with ornate language or fictitious details:

   He embroidered the account of the shipwreck to hold his listeners' interest.

   Synonyms: fancify, color, exaggerate, elaborate

verb (used without object)

1. to do embroidery.
2. to add embellishments; exaggerate (often followed by on or upon ).

embroider

/ ɪmˈbrɔɪdə /

verb

1. to do decorative needlework (upon)
2. to add fictitious or fanciful detail to (a story)
3. to add exaggerated or improbable details to (an account of an event, etc)

Derived Forms

• emˈbroiderer, noun

Other Word Forms

• em·broider·er noun
• over·em·broider verb (used with object)
• unem·broidered adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of embroider¹

1350–1400; em- ¹ + broider; replacing Middle English embroderen, frequentative of embroden < Middle French embro ( u ) der, equivalent to em- em- ¹ + Old French brosder, derivative of brosd < Germanic ( brad )

Word History and Origins

Origin of embroider¹

C15: from Old French embroder; see em- en- ¹, broider

Example Sentences

Then, there are rare Indo-Portuguese embroideries and some Haji Rumals - embroidered religious cloth once exported to Indonesia and parts of the Arab world as a headdress for men.

From BBC

While there, he utilized artisans who embroidered costumes, made hats or developed textiles for “Bridgerton,” “The Crown,” “Queen Charlotte” and the London production of “Hamilton,” which in 2016 netted Tazewell a Tony Award.

From Los Angeles Times

On a lace vintage doily, Simpson embroidered the Japanese proverb “Fall seven times, stand up eight,” a fitting metaphor for her metamorphosis as an artist.

From Los Angeles Times

Nicks in particular is her usual candid self; for example, when speaking on Buckingham: “I loved him before he was a millionaire. I washed his jeans and embroidered stupid moons and stars on them.”

From Salon

According to legend, Tyre is the place where purple pigment was first created - the dye crushed out of snail shells to embroider royal robes.

From BBC

Related Words

• bedeck
• decorate
• embellish
• knit
• stitch