wreathe
UK: riːð | US: riːð
vt. to twist or entwine (e.g., flowers, branches) into a circular shape
vi. to take on a coiled or spiral form
n. (archaic) a wreath; a twisted band or ring
The word "wreathe" derives from the Old English "wrīthan," meaning "to twist or bind." The root "wreath" (from Proto-Germanic *wrīþaną) originally referred to the act of coiling or intertwining, later evolving into the noun "wreath" (a twisted ring of foliage) and the verb "wreathe" (the action of forming such a ring). The addition of "-e" in Middle English marked its verbal form, emphasizing the dynamic process of twisting. The word’s evolution reflects a tangible connection between physical action (twisting) and its resulting shape (a wreath).
She wreathed the garland around the Maypole with delicate care.
Smoke wreathed upward from the chimney in lazy spirals.
The vines wreathed themselves around the old fence.
His speech was wreathed in poetic metaphors.
They wreathed the winner’s head with a crown of laurels.