garnish Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun something (such as parsley) added to a dish for flavor or decoration
  2. noun any decoration added as a trimming or adornment
  3. verb take a debtor's wages on legal orders, such as for child support
    garnishee.
    • His employer garnished his wages in order to pay his debt
  4. verb decorate (food), as with parsley or other ornamental foods
    trim; dress.

WordNet

Gar"nish transitive verb
Etymology
OE. garnischen, garnissen, OF. garnir to provide, strengthen, prepare, garnish, warn, F. garnir to provide, furnish, garnish, -- of German origin; cf. OHG. warnon to provide, equip; akin to G. wahren to watch, E. aware, ware, wary, and cf. also E. warn. See Wary, -ish, and cf. Garment, Garrison.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Garnished ; present participle & verbal noun Garnishing
Definitions
  1. To decorate with ornamental appendages; to set off; to adorn; to embellish.
    All within with flowers was garnished. Spenser.
  2. (Cookery) To ornament, as a dish, with something laid about it; as, a dish garnished with parsley.
  3. To furnish; to supply.
  4. To fit with fetters. Cant Johnson.
  5. (Law) To warn by garnishment; to give notice to; to garnishee. See Garnishee, v. t. Cowell.
Gar"nish noun
Definitions
  1. Something added for embellishment; decoration; ornament; also, dress; garments, especially such as are showy or decorated.
    So are you, sweet, Even in the lovely garnish of a boy. Shak.
    Matter and figure they produce; For garnish this, and that for use. Prior.
  2. (Cookery) Something set round or upon a dish as an embellishment. See Garnish, v. t., 2. Smart.
  3. Fetters. Cant
  4. A fee; specifically, in English jails, formerly an unauthorized fee demanded by the old prisoners of a newcomer. Cant Fielding. Knight.

Webster 1913