frill (frĭl)
n.

1. A ruffled, gathered, or pleated border or projection, such as a fabric edge used to trim clothing or a curled paper strip for decorating the end of the bone of a piece of meat.
2. A ruff of hair or feathers about the neck of an animal or a bird.
3. A wrinkling of the edge of a photographic film.
4. Informal. Something that is desirable but not a necessity; a luxury. See synonyms at luxury.

v., frilled, frill·ing, frills.

v.tr.

1. To make into a ruffle or frill.
2. To add a ruffle or frill to.

v.intr.
To become wrinkled along the edge.

[Origin unknown.]

frilliness fril'li·ness n.
frilly frill'y adj.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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