[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/decorate/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [D](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/d/) / decorate

# decorate

verb (decorate, decorates, decorated, decorating)

«decorate» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To make something look nicer by adding pretty things: decorate the cake with icing. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decorate/#m1)
2. To paint walls or put up wallpaper in a room (mainly UK, Ireland, Australia, NZ). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decorate/#m2)
3. To give someone a medal or honour: the soldier was decorated for bravery. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decorate/#m3)

### In the lessons

In everyday life families decorate trees, cakes, classrooms and houses for festivals and birthdays. In art and D&T lessons pupils decorate their work. In history, soldiers are decorated for bravery. In maths, decorating problems ask how much paint or wallpaper is needed (area). Phrases: decorate with, decorate the tree, painting and decorating.

### Examples

- We decorated the classroom for the party. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decorate/#x1)
- Decorate your cake with sprinkles. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decorate/#x2)
- Dad is decorating my bedroom this weekend. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decorate/#x3)
- The firefighter was decorated for saving the children. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decorate/#x4)
- We decorated eggs with bright paints. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decorate/#x5)
- One tin of paint covers 12 square metres, so a wall of 36 square metres needs 3 tins to decorate. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decorate/#x6)
- The palace was elegantly decorated for the occasion. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decorate/#x7)

### Note

Regular verb: decorated, decorating. Nouns: decoration, decorator (a person who paints rooms). In maths, decorating questions are often about area (length x width).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «decorate» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decorate/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«decorate» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/decorate.html) on Mova free.