Also called bay, sweet bay . a small European evergreen tree, Laurus nobilis, of the laurel family, having dark, glossy green leaves.Compare laurel family.
any tree of the genus Laurus.
any of various similar trees or shrubs, as the mountain laurel or the great rhododendron.
the foliage of the laurel as an emblem of victory or distinction.
a branch or wreath of laurel foliage.
Usually laurels.honor won, as for achievement in a field or activity.
verb (used with object),lau·reled,lau·rel·ing or (especially British) lau·relled,lau·rel·ling.
to adorn or wreathe with laurel.
to honor with marks of distinction.
Idioms for laurel
look to one's laurels, to be alert to the possibility of being excelled or surpassed: New developments in the industry are forcing long-established firms to look to their laurels.
rest on one's laurels, to be content with one's past or present honors, achievements, etc.: He retired at the peak of his career and is resting on his laurels.
Origin of laurel
1250–1300; dissimilated variant of Middle English laurer, earlier lorer<Anglo-French; Old French lorier bay tree, equivalent to lor bay, laurel (<Latin laurus) + -ier-ier2; see -er2
From CEOs to journalists to politicians, this year’s class of Fortune’s 40 Under 40 is an incredible group of innovators who refuse to rest on their laurels.
The advice that helped this year’s 40 under 40 find their own path|kdunn6|September 3, 2020|Fortune
This is a time in history where companies cannot rest on their laurels or make empty promises when it comes to embracing and cultivating a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace.
Deep Dive: How companies and their employees are facing the future of work|Digiday|September 1, 2020|Digiday
He’s a mechanical engineer at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.
Flying snakes wriggle their way through the air|Emily Conover|August 4, 2020|Science News For Students
For the early stage DTC startups who are seeing higher-than-expected sales growth, they are not resting on their laurels either.
As headwinds emerge, DTC brands bet on early growth to carry them through the rest of the year|Anna Hensel|July 27, 2020|Digiday
The Twins didn’t rest on their offseason laurels, adding the likes of Josh Donaldson, Kenta Maeda and Homer Bailey without losing too much of note.
Baseball Will Be Weird This Year. But The Astros And Yankees Are Favorites In The American League … Again.|Neil Paine (neil.paine@fivethirtyeight.com)|July 21, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
So when my wife and I moved to Laurel Canyon I spent my first year working night and day on the show.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Did McCarthy invent the portrayal of violence in fiction, or should that laurel go to Homer?
Compliments Are Nice, but Enough With the Cormac McCarthy Comparisons|William Giraldi|October 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If Pat Roberts lived in Dodge City, why did he travel 1,400 miles out of his way to purchase his car in Laurel, Maryland?
There's No Place Like Home For Kansas Senator Pat Roberts|Ben Jacobs|May 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But no laurel wreaths waited for Marina on the day of her victory.
Marina Rikhvanova’s Quest To Save Russia’s Lake Baikal|Anna Nemtsova|November 9, 2013|DAILY BEAST
One artist, Edgardo Aragón from Oaxaca, tries to capture that in an exhibition at the Laurel Gitlen Gallery.
Mexico’s Dark Past and Present|William O’Connor|June 21, 2013|DAILY BEAST
During the first week the sale of stamps at Laurel Run post-office was unprecedented in the annals of the Department.
Colonel Starbottle's Client and Other Stories|Bret Harte
You may know Apollo in pictures by his laurel wreath as well as by his lyre and bow.
Gods and Heroes|R. E. Francillon
The man comes back, and is greeted with boughs and bays, with love and laurel.
Little Journeys to the Homes of the Great Philosophers, Volume 8|Elbert Hubbard
All those who express themselves, with clearness, precision and simplicity are deemed unworthy of the laurel wreath.
Niels Klim's journey under the ground|Baron Ludvig Holberg
Garlands of flowers and laurel wreaths adorned the houses, and pleasant odors were wafted to us as we went.
A Thorny Path [Per Aspera], Complete|Georg Ebers
British Dictionary definitions for laurel
laurel
/ (ˈlɒrəl) /
noun
Also called: bay, true laurelany lauraceous tree of the genus Laurus, such as the bay tree (see bay 4) and L. canariensis, of the Canary Islands and Azores
any lauraceous plant
short for cherry laurel, mountain laurel
spurge laurela European thymelaeaceous evergreen shrub, Daphne laureola, with glossy leaves and small green flowers
spotted laurelorJapan laurelan evergreen cornaceous shrub, Aucuba japonica, of S and SE Asia, the female of which has yellow-spotted leaves
(plural)a wreath of true laurel, worn on the head as an emblem of victory or honour in classical times
(plural)honour, distinction, or fame
look to one's laurelsto be on guard against one's rivals
rest on one's laurelsto be satisfied with distinction won by past achievements and cease to strive for further achievements