emboss
1 of 2verb (1)
em·boss im-ˈbäs 
-ˈbȯs
embossed; embossing; embosses
transitive verb
1
: to raise the surface of into bosses
especially : to ornament with raised work
2
: to raise in relief from a surface
3
: adorn, embellish
embossable
im-ˈbä-sə-bəl
adjective -ˈbȯ-
embosser
im-ˈbä-sər
noun -ˈbȯ-
embossment
im-ˈbä-smənt
noun -ˈbȯ-
emboss
2 of 2verb (2)
embossed; embossing; embosses
transitive verb
archaic
: to drive (a hunted animal) to bay or to exhaustion
Synonyms
Verb (1)
- adorn
- array
- beautify
- bedeck
- bedizen
- blazon
- caparison
- deck
- decorate
- do
- do up
- doll up
- drape
- dress
- embellish
- emblaze
- enrich
- fancify
- fancy up
- festoon
- garnish
- glitz (up)
- grace
- gussy up
- ornament
- pretty (up)
- trim
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Word History
Etymology
Verb (1)
Middle English embosen, from Middle French embocer, from en- + boce boss
Verb (2)
Middle English embosen to become exhausted from being hunted, ultimately from Anglo-French bois woods
First Known Use
Verb (1)
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb (2)
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
emboss
verb
em·boss im-ˈbäs
-ˈbȯs
embossed; embossing
: to decorate with a raised pattern or design
embossing
verb
as in decorating
to make more attractive by adding something that is beautiful or becoming the simple country church has an aura of serene spirituality that is often missing in more embossed houses of worship Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- decorating
- adorning
- draping
- embellishing
- trimming
- painting
- ornamenting
- dressing
- garnishing
- decking
- beautifying
- gussying up
- blazoning
- enriching
- festooning
- bedizening
- arraying
- embroidering
- doing up
- caparisoning
- fancifying
- doing
- bedecking
- dolling up
- emblazing
- accessorizing
- gracing
- ribboning
- gilding
- fancying up
- trapping
- glitzing (up)
- brightening
- jeweling
- frilling
- appliquéing
- braiding
- prettying (up)
- feathering
- swagging
- fringing
- dressing up
- freshening
- chasing
- hanging
- jewelling
- lacing
- garlanding
- filleting
- filigreeing
- smartening
- flouncing
- wreathing
- pearling
- bossing
- figuring
- redoing
- sprucing (up)
- tricking (out)
- diamonding
- redecorating
- impearling
- gemming
- furbelowing
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- scarring
- disfiguring
- streamlining
- marring
- spoiling
- defacing
- simplifying
- displaying
- stripping
- revealing
- exposing
- uncovering
- blemishing
- dismantling
- denuding
- baring
- divesting
- uglifying
- knock over
- knock poker
- knock rummy
- knock sideways
- knock silly
- knock some sense into someone
- knock some sense into someone's head
- knock someone down a peg
- knock someone flying
- knock someone for six
- knock someone off (his stride
- knock someone off her pedestal
- knock someone off her) stride
- knock someone off his pedestal
- knock someone sideways
- knock someone's block off
- knock someone's head off
- knock someone's head/block off
- knock someone's socks off
- knock something on the head
- knock spots off
- knock the stuffing out of
- knock the wind out of
- knock the wind out of (someone)
- knock the wind out of someone