filigree
/ˈfɪlɪɡriː/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈfɪlɪɡriː/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfi-lə-ˌgrē/ (ame, mw)
filigree — noun
1. jewellery or small decorative objects shaped from very thin twisted threads of g
jewellery or small decorative objects shaped from very thin twisted threads of gold or silver, often forming tiny loops and curls that look almost like lace.
Kian bought his grandmother a silver filigree brooch from a small shop in Lisbon.
noun phrase: silver/gold filigree + jewellery item
The earrings were covered in delicate filigree that caught the light at every angle.
collocation: delicate filigree
Nellie's wedding ring was decorated with fine gold filigree around the edges.
The museum displayed ancient pieces of Greek filigree in a glass case near the entrance.
用法筆記
Usually uncountable when describing the craft or material; the pieces themselves are called 'a piece of filigree' or named by the object (a filigree ring, a filigree brooch).
常見錯誤
2. any decorative design with small open spaces and curling lines that looks like t
any decorative design with small open spaces and curling lines that looks like the wire pattern of traditional filigree — for example, carved wood panels, iron gates, or icing on a cake.
Adisa traced the wooden filigree carved into the temple doors with one finger.
collocation: wooden/stone/iron filigree
Frost had spread across the window in a fine white filigree by morning.
figurative use: frost/leaf/shadow as filigree
The cake was decorated with sugar filigree that took the baker two hours to pipe.
Christopher photographed the iron filigree on the old garden gate at sunset.
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this sense covers any open patterned decoration that looks like filigree work, even when no metal wire is involved. The material is usually named (wooden filigree, sugar filigree, stone filigree).
filigree — verb
- filigreepresent simple I / you / we / they
- filigrees3rd person singular
- filigreeing-ing form
- filigreedpast simple
1. to cover the surface of an object with a filigree-style pattern, or to add fine
to cover the surface of an object with a filigree-style pattern, or to add fine curling decoration that looks like wire-work.
Daichi spent the whole afternoon filigreeing the silver cup as a wedding gift.
transitive: filigree + concrete object
The box was filigreed with tiny gold flowers that wound around the lid.
passive: be filigreed with + material/pattern
Paloma filigreed the icing on the cake using a thin piping bag and a steady hand.
Lotte's notebook was filigreed with hand-drawn vines along every page edge.
文法句型
filigree + object
be filigreed with + material
用法筆記
Frequently passive; the active form is rare outside craft and design writing. Object is usually a hard surface or a baked/decorative item.