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Tinsel vs Spangle - What's the difference?

tinsel | spangle |

In transitive terms the difference between tinsel and spangle

is that tinsel is to adorn with tinsel; to deck out with cheap but showy ornaments; to make gaudy while spangle is to fix spangles to; to adorn with small, brilliant bodies.

As an adjective tinsel

is glittering, later especially superficially so; gaudy, showy.

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

    * * * * *

    spangle

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A small piece of sparkling metallic material sewn on to a garment as decoration; a sequin.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1959, author=(Georgette Heyer), title=(The Unknown Ajax), chapter=1
    • , passage=And no use for anyone to tell Charles that this was because the Family was in mourning for Mr Granville Darracott […]: Charles might only have been second footman at Darracott Place for a couple of months when that disaster occurred, but no one could gammon him into thinking that my lord cared a spangle for his heir.}}
  • Any small sparkling object.
  • * (Edmund Waller) (1606-1687)
    • the rich spangles that adorn the sky

    Verb

    (spangl)
  • To sparkle, flash or coruscate.
  • To fix spangles to; to adorn with small, brilliant bodies.
  • * Shakespeare
    • What stars do spangle heaven with such beauty?

    See also

    * Spangles (British boiled sweet )