Bedizen
to dress or adorn in a showy, gaudy, or tasteless manner.
Historical Examples
If Julia Cunningham chooses to bedizen herself in it, she is welcome to it—flounces and all.
At Last Marion Harland
When I was young they died for that with which they now bedizen themselves.’
Hypatia Charles Kingsley
Prithee, young one, who art thou, and what has ailed thy mother to bedizen thee in this strange fashion?
The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne
A refined woman will always look neat; but, on the other hand, she will not bedizen and bedeck herself with a view to display.
How to be Happy Though Married E. J. Hardy.
Is not your body a far more beautiful and nobler thing than all the gay clothes with which you can bedizen it?
Sermons for the Times Charles Kingsley
I will so bedizen your virile, though somewhat crassly practical gifts—— Why, women are my long suit.
Free Air Sinclair Lewis
The French chamarrer, to deck out, or bedizen, is said to be a word of kindred origin.
The Bible in Spain – Vol. 2 [of 2] George Borrow
I don’t know what sort of a way you’d bedizen yourself out if I’d let you, I’m sure.
Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories, 1907 to 1908 Lucy Maud Montgomery
We shall have plenty of time if this prince takes as long to bedizen himself as he used to do.
Lord Montagu’s Page G. P. R. James
I’st teach yo to burn three candles down awbut to nothink ‘at yo may bedizen yorsel in this way.
The History of David Grieve Mrs. Humphry Ward
verb
(transitive) (archaic) to dress or decorate gaudily or tastelessly
v.
1660s, from be- + dizen “to dress” (1610s), especially, from late 18c., “to dress finely, adorn,” originally “to dress (a distaff) for spinning” (1520s), and evidently the verbal form of the first element in distaff.
It is remarkable that neither the vb., nor the sb. as a separate word, has been found in OE. or ME., and that on the other hand no vb. corresponding to dizen is known in L.G. or Du. [OED]
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