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Gaudy vs Tinsel - What's the difference?

gaudy | tinsel |

As adjectives the difference between gaudy and tinsel

is that gaudy is very showy or ornamented, now especially when excessive, or in a tasteless or vulgar manner while tinsel is glittering, later especially superficially so; gaudy, showy.

As nouns the difference between gaudy and tinsel

is that gaudy is one of the large beads in the rosary at which the paternoster is recited while tinsel is a shining material used for ornamental purposes; especially, a very thin, gauzelike cloth with much gold or silver woven into it; also, very thin metal overlaid with a thin coating of gold or silver, brass foil, or the like.

As a verb tinsel is

to adorn with tinsel; to deck out with cheap but showy ornaments; to make gaudy.

gaudy

English

Etymology 1

Origin uncertain; perhaps from . A common claim that the word derives from , is not supported by evidence (the word was in use at least half a century before Gaudí was born).

Adjective

(er)
  • very showy or ornamented, now especially when excessive, or in a tasteless or vulgar manner
  • * Shakespeare
    • Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, / But not expressed in fancy; rich, not gaudy .
  • * 1813 , , Pride and Prejudice
    • The rooms were lofty and handsome, and their furniture suitable to the fortune of its proprietor; but Elizabeth saw, with admiration of his taste, that it was neither gaudy nor uselessly fine; with less of splendour, and more real elegance, than the furniture of Rosings.
  • * 1887 , Homer Greene, Burnham Breaker
    • A large gaudy , flowing cravat, and an ill-used silk hat, set well back on the wearer's head, completed this somewhat noticeable costume.
  • * 2005 , Thomas Hauser & Marilyn Cole Lownes, "How Bling-bling Took Over the Ring", The Observer , 9 January 2005
    • Gaudy jewellery might offend some people's sense of style. But former heavyweight champion and grilling-machine entrepreneur George Foreman is philosophical about today's craze for bling-bling.
  • (obsolete) gay; merry; festive
    • (Tennyson)
  • * Shakespeare
    • Let's have one other gaudy night.
  • * Twain
    • And then, there he was, slim and handsome, and dressed the gaudiest and prettiest you ever saw...
    Synonyms
    * (excessively showy) tawdry, flashy, garish, kitschy *
    Derived terms
    * gaudily * gaudy night

    Noun

    (gaudies)
  • One of the large beads in the rosary at which the paternoster is recited.
    • (Gower)

    Etymology 2

    From Latin gaudium "joy".

    Noun

    (gaudies)
  • A reunion held by one of the colleges of the University of Oxford for alumni, normally held during the summer vacations.

    • tinsel

    English

    Noun

    (-)
  • A shining material used for ornamental purposes; especially, a very thin, gauzelike cloth with much gold or silver woven into it; also, very thin metal overlaid with a thin coating of gold or silver, brass foil, or the like.
  • * :
    • Who can discern the tinsel from the gold?
  • * {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham)
    • , title=(The China Governess) , chapter=Foreword citation , passage=He stood transfixed before the unaccustomed view of London at night time, a vast panorama which reminded him […] of some wood engravings far off and magical, in a printshop in his childhood. They dated from the previous century and were coarsely printed on tinted paper, with tinsel outlining the design.}}
  • Very thin strips of a glittering, metallic material used as a decoration, and traditionally, draped at Christmas time over streamers, paper chains and the branches of Christmas trees.
  • Anything shining and gaudy; something superficially shining and showy, or having a false luster, and more gay than valuable.
  • * :
    • O happy peasant! O unhappy bard! His the mere tinsel , hers the rich reward.

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Glittering, later especially superficially so; gaudy, showy.
  • * 1590 , (Edmund Spenser), The Faerie Queene , III.1:
    • Her garments all were wrought of beaten gold, / And all her steed with tinsell trappings shone [...].

    Verb

  • To adorn with tinsel; to deck out with cheap but showy ornaments; to make gaudy.
  • * :
    • She, tinseled o'er in robes of varying hues.
  • (figuratively) To give a false sparkle to (something).

    • Derived terms

    * tinseled, tinselled * tinselly * Tinseltown

    See also

    * trimmings * trim up

    References

    *

    Anagrams

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