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window-dressing

win·dow-dress·ing
W w

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • UK Pronunciation
    • UK IPA
    • [win-doh dres-ing]
    • /ˈwɪn doʊ ˈdrɛs ɪŋ/
    • /ˈwɪndəʊ ˈdres.ɪŋ/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [win-doh dres-ing]
    • /ˈwɪn doʊ ˈdrɛs ɪŋ/

Definitions of window-dressing word

  • noun window-dressing the art, act, or technique of trimming the display windows of a store. 1
  • noun window-dressing misrepresentation of something, so as to give a favorable impression: The company's list of assets included a great deal of window dressing. 1
  • uncountable noun window-dressing Window-dressing is the skill of arranging objects attractively in a window, especially a shop window, or the way in which they are arranged. 0
  • uncountable noun window-dressing If you refer to something as window-dressing, you are critical of it because it is done in order to create a good impression and to prevent people from realizing the real or more unpleasant nature of someone's activities. 0
  • noun window-dressing the ornamentation of shop windows, designed to attract customers 0
  • noun window-dressing the pleasant, showy, or false aspect of an idea, policy, etc, which is stressed to conceal the real or unpleasant nature; façade 0

Information block about the term

Origin of window-dressing

First appearance:

before 1780
One of the 45% newest English words
First recorded in 1780-90

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Window-dressing

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation

window-dressing popularity

A pretty common term. Usually people know it’s meaning, but prefer to use a more spread out synonym. About 31% of English native speakers know the meaning and use word.
According to our data about 70% of words is more used. This is a rare but used term. It occurs in the pages of specialized literature and in the speech of educated people.

Synonyms for window-dressing

noun window-dressing

  • cover — If you cover something, you place something else over it in order to protect it, hide it, or close it.
  • facade — Architecture. the front of a building, especially an imposing or decorative one. any side of a building facing a public way or space and finished accordingly.
  • fig leaf — the leaf of a fig tree.
  • flamboyance — strikingly bold or brilliant; showy: flamboyant colors.
  • garishness — crudely or tastelessly colorful, showy, or elaborate, as clothes or decoration.

Antonyms for window-dressing

noun window-dressing

  • hiding — the pelt or skin of one of the larger animals (cow, horse, buffalo, etc.), raw or dressed.
  • ordinariness — of no special quality or interest; commonplace; unexceptional: One novel is brilliant, the other is decidedly ordinary; an ordinary person.

See also

Matching words

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