Standard Lemma guide

bedeck

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /bɪˈdɛk/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɛk
  • CMU ARPABET: B IH0 D EH1 K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To deck, ornament, or adorn

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • She bedecked her wedding gown with seed pearls.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

to grace.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

decorate

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • deck the halls with holly

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: deck, bedight

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: decorate, adorn, grace, ornament, embellish, beautify

Narrower terms: plume

History

Etymology

From be- + deck. Compare West Frisian bedekke (“to cover”), Dutch bedekken (“to cover, coat, overlay”), German bedecken (“to cover, top, overlay”), Swedish betäcka (“to cover, shelter”). Doublet of bethatch.

Across languages

Translations

21 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: окичвам (okičvam) — deck, ornament, adorn
  • Bulgarian: украсявам (ukrasjavam) — deck, ornament, adorn
  • German: schmücken — deck, ornament, adorn
  • German: verzieren — deck, ornament, adorn
  • Italian: decorare — deck, ornament, adorn
  • Italian: ornare — deck, ornament, adorn
  • Macedonian: у́краси (úkrasi) — deck, ornament, adorn
  • Macedonian: укра́сува (ukrásuva) — deck, ornament, adorn
  • Macedonian: ки́ти (kíti) — deck, ornament, adorn
  • Macedonian: на́кити (nákiti) — deck, ornament, adorn
  • Māori: whakapīwari — deck, ornament, adorn
  • Polish: zdobić — deck, ornament, adorn
  • Polish: ozdabiać — deck, ornament, adorn
  • Polish: ozdobić — deck, ornament, adorn
  • Polish: krasić — deck, ornament, adorn
  • Polish: okraszać — deck, ornament, adorn
  • Polish: okrasić — deck, ornament, adorn
  • Polish: stroić — deck, ornament, adorn
  • Polish: wystrajać — deck, ornament, adorn
  • Polish: wystroić — deck, ornament, adorn
  • Russian: украшать (ukrašatʹ) — deck, ornament, adorn