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Webster 1913 Edition


Garish

Gar′ish

(gâr′ĭsh)
,
Adj.
[Cf. OE.
gauren
to stare; of uncertain origin. Cf.
gairish
.]
1.
Showy; dazzling; ostentatious; attracting or exciting attention.
“The garish sun.” “A garish flag.”
Shak.
In . . . garish colors.”
Asham.
The garish day.”
J. H. Newman.
Garish
like the laughters of drunkenness.
Jer. Taylor.
2.
Gay to extravagance; flighty.
Gar′ish-ly
,
adv.
Gar′ish-ness
,
Noun.
Jer. Taylor.

Webster 1828 Edition


Garish

GARISH.

[See Gairish.]

Definition 2024


garish

garish

English

Adjective

garish (comparative more garish, superlative most garish)

  1. Overly ostentatious; so colourful as to be in bad taste.
    The dress fits her well, but the pattern is rather garish.
    • 1907, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, “chapter VIII”, in The Younger Set (Project Gutenberg; EBook #14852), New York, N.Y.: A. L. Burt Company, published 1 February 2005 (Project Gutenberg version), OCLC 4241346:
      "My tastes," he said, still smiling, "incline me to the garishly sunlit side of this planet." And, to tease her and arouse her to combat: "I prefer a farandole to a nocturne; I'd rather have a painting than an etching; Mr. Whistler bores me with his monochromatic mud; I don't like dull colours, dull sounds, dull intellects; []."
    • 2003 August 10, Ken Keeler, "The Devil's Hands are Idle Playthings", Futurama, season 5, episode 16, Fox Broadcasting Company
      Leela: He gave me mechanical ears / Effective though just a bit garish.

Translations

References

  1. garish” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary (2001).