bedizen

bedizen
bedizen 1660s, from BE- (Cf. be-) + dizen "to dress" (1610s), especially, from late 18c., "to dress finely, adorn," originally "to dress (a distaff) for spinning" (1520s), and evidently the verbal form of the first element in DISTAFF (Cf. distaff).
It is remarkable that neither the vb., nor the sb. as a separate word, has been found in OE. or ME., and that on the other hand no vb. corresponding to dizen is known in L.G. or Du. [OED]

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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Synonyms:
(gaudily), , , , ,


Look at other dictionaries:

  • Bedizen — Be*diz en, v. t. To dress or adorn tawdrily or with false taste. [1913 Webster] Remnants of tapestried hangings, . . . and shreds of pictures with which he had bedizened his tatters. Sir W. Scott. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • bedizen — index embellish Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • bedizen — [bē dī′zən, bidī′zən; ] also [, bidiz′ən] vt. [ BE + DIZEN] Now Rare to dress or decorate in a cheap, showy way bedizenment n …   English World dictionary

  • bedizen — transitive verb Date: 1661 to dress or adorn gaudily • bedizenment noun …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • bedizen — bedizenment, n. /bi duy zeuhn, diz euhn/, v.t. to dress or adorn in a showy, gaudy, or tasteless manner. [1655 65; BE + DIZEN] * * * …   Universalium

  • bedizen — 1. verb To ornament something in showy, tasteless, or gaudy finery. 2. noun A person who spends most of their time in bed; a slugabed …   Wiktionary

  • bedizen — Synonyms and related words: adorn, apply paint, array, beautify, bedaub, bedeck, begild, besmear, blazon, brush on paint, calcimine, coat, color, complexion, cover, dab, dandify, daub, deck, deck out, decorate, deep dye, dip, distemper, dizen,… …   Moby Thesaurus

  • bedizen — see DISTAFF …   The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

  • bedizen — be·diz·en || bɪ daɪzn v. decorate in a cheap showy manner; dress gaudily and in poor taste …   English contemporary dictionary

  • bedizen — [bɪ dʌɪz(ə)n, dɪz ] verb literary dress up or decorate gaudily. Origin C17: from be + obs. dizen deck out …   English new terms dictionary

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