wreathe

Meaning

1. (also, figuratively, transitive) Senses relating to intertwining or twisting.
2. (also, figuratively, transitive) Senses relating to intertwining or twisting.
3. (also, figuratively, transitive) Senses relating to intertwining or twisting.
4. (also, figuratively, transitive) Senses relating to intertwining or twisting.
5. (also, figuratively, reflexive, transitive) Senses relating to intertwining or twisting.
6. (also, figuratively, transitive) Senses relating to intertwining or twisting.
7. (also, archaic, figuratively, transitive) Senses relating to intertwining or twisting.
8. (also, figuratively, transitive) Senses relating to intertwining or twisting.
9. (also, figuratively, obsolete, transitive) Senses relating to intertwining or twisting.
10. (Scotland, also, figuratively, obsolete, transitive) Senses relating to intertwining or twisting.
11. (also, figuratively, intransitive) Senses relating to intertwining or twisting.
12. (also, figuratively, intransitive) Senses relating to intertwining or twisting.
13. (also, figuratively, intransitive, obsolete, rare) Senses relating to intertwining or twisting.
14. (Scotland, also, figuratively, intransitive, obsolete) Senses relating to intertwining or twisting.
15. (transitive) Senses relating to vigorous movement.
16. (reflexive, transitive) Senses relating to vigorous movement.
17. (archaic, figuratively, reflexive, transitive) Senses relating to vigorous movement.
18. (obsolete, transitive) Senses relating to vigorous movement.
19. (obsolete, transitive) Senses relating to vigorous movement.
20. (obsolete, transitive) Senses relating to vigorous movement.
21. (obsolete, transitive) Senses relating to vigorous movement.
22. (obsolete, rare, transitive) Senses relating to vigorous movement.
23. (figuratively, obsolete, transitive) Senses relating to vigorous movement.
24. (intransitive) Senses relating to vigorous movement.

Opposite of

uncoil, uncurl, untwist, unwreathe

Synonyms

twine

plait

braid

curl

weave

wind

garland

snake

🐍

spiral

festoon

swirl

twist

meander

slither

squirm

turn

worm

🪱

wrestle

wriggle

writhe

close in on

coil around

circumvolute

coil

corkscrew

crown

👑

enfold

enshroud

entwine

envelop

implicate

kink

lauren

loop

➿

Translations

vlechten

trenzar

winden

trenar

trançar

plectere

tresser

flechten

schlingen

entrecruzar

entrançar

entrelazar

tisser

natter

tejer

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ɹiːð/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: wrethen

Cognate with English: wreathen

Inherited from Old English: wrīþan

Inherited from Old English: wrǣd

In summary

From Middle English wrethen (“to twist”), partly:
* from wrethen (“twisted, wreathed”) (whence modern English wreathen (“(obsolete) made into a wreath; twisted”, adjective)), the past participle of writhen, wrythen (“to twist into a braid, coil, or wreath; to twist out of position or shape, deform; to twist together, intertwine; to twist about, writhe; to bend; to swathe, wrap; etc.”), from Old English wrīþan (“to twist; to bind; to wrap”), from Proto-West Germanic *wrīþan (“to twist; to weave”), from Proto-Germanic *wrīþaną (“to twist; to weave”), from Proto-Indo-European *wreyt- (“to twist”); and
* from wreth, wrethe (“coiled or rounded shape; decorative garland, wreath; chaplet, crown; ring”, noun), from Old English wrǣd, wrǣþ, wriþa (“bandage”), from Proto-West Germanic *wrīþan (“to twist; to weave”) (see further above).