garland

n.

1. 1. A wreath or festoon, especially one of plaited flowers or leaves, worn on the body or draped as a decoration.
   2. A representation of such a wreath or festoon, used as an architectural ornament or heraldic device.
2. A mark of honor or tribute; an accolade: received garlands of praise.
3. Nautical. A ring or collar of rope used to hoist spars or prevent fraying.
4. An anthology, as of ballads or poems.

tr.v., -land·ed, -land·ing, -lands.

1. To ornament or deck with a garland.
2. To form into a garland.

[Middle English, from Old French garlande, perhaps of Germanic origin.]

Together with similar constructions of flowers and greenery, garlands are common elements of English customs, whether carried around the village on May Day, hung up as Christmas decorations or on Maypoles, carried at weddings and funerals, and even worn on the head as at Castleton, Derbyshire, and although individual customs may not be very old, garlands in general have a long history:

Three ornaments belong principally to a wife. A ring on her finger, a brooch at her breast, and a garland on her head. The ring betokens true love, as I have said, the brooch betokens cleanness in heart and chastity that she ought to have, the garland betokens gladness and the dignity of the sacrament of wedlock. (Dives and Pauper, c. 1405-10; spelling modernized)

Less well-known examples of 19th century garlands include prizes at games in Yorkshire, and as a fishing industry custom where returning Whitby whalers fixed ‘a garland or hoop fluttering with ribbons’ from the mast-head (Gutch, 1901: 57).

See also ABBOTSBURY GARLAND DAY, CASTLETON GARLAND DAY, CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS, FUNERALS, MAIDENS' GARLANDS, MAY DAY, MAYPOLES, RUSHBEARING, WEDDINGS.

Bibliography
The full bibliography list is available here.

• Brears, 1989: 178-203

Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The noun has 2 meanings:

Meaning #1: an anthology of short literary pieces and poems and ballads etc.
  Synonyms: florilegium, miscellany

Meaning #2: flower arrangement consisting of a circular band of foliage or flowers for ornamental purposes
  Synonyms: wreath, coronal, chaplet, lei

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The verb garland has one meaning:

Meaning #1: adorn with garlands

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - krans, net
v. tr. - kranse

Nederlands (Dutch)
bloemenslinger, lauwerkrans, literaire bloemlezing, tooien, ergens een krans van maken, bekronen

Français (French)
n. - guirlande
v. tr. - enguirlander, orner de guirlandes

Deutsch (German)
n. - Blumengirlande, Kranz
v. - bekränzen, mit Girlanden verzieren

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - στέφανος, στεφάνι, γιρλάντα
v. - διακοσμώ ή στεφανώνω με γιρλάντες

Italiano (Italian)
adornare, ghirlanda

Português (Portuguese)
n. - grinalda (f), antologia (f), festão (m) (Arquit.)
v. - decorar com grinaldas

Русский (Russian)
гирлянда, венок

Español (Spanish)
n. - guirnalda, antología, eslinga
v. tr. - enguirnaldar

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - krans (av blommor), segerkrans, mastkrans (sjö.), antologi (åld.)
v. - bekransa

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
花环, 戴花环

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 花環
v. tr. - 戴花環

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 선집, 화환
v. tr. - 화환으로 장식하다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 花輪, 栄冠, 男子名, ガーランド
v. - 花冠をいただかせる, 花輪で飾る, 花冠に編む

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) الكيل زهر (فعل) يكلل بالزهور‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮זר, מקלעת פרחים, עטרה‬
v. tr. - ‮קישט בזר פרחים, עיטר‬

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garland	berry garland
garland grill	eucalyptus garland