Forms: 4–5 aourne, 5 aorne, 5–6 adourne, 5–7 adorne, 6– adorn. [a. OFr. aörne-r, aūrne-r, aourne-r, (later adourne-r, adorne-r):—L. adornā-re to fit out, to deck out; f. ad to + ōrnā-re to furnish, to deck. The d of pref. ad-, regularly dropped in OFr., began to be inserted again by the Fr. scribes in 14th c., and has regularly appeared in Eng. since the end of the 15th. See also the form ANORN.]
I. To be an ornament to.
1. To beautify as an ornament does; to be an ornament to; to add beauty or luster to.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, III. Proem 2. O blisfull light, of which the bemes clere Adornith al the thryd hevyn faire.
1659. Dryden, On Death of Cromw., vii. No borrow’d bays his temples did adorn.
1667. Milton, P. L., IX. 840. Of choicest Flours a Garland to adorne Her Tresses.
1775. Burke, Sp. Conc. Amer., Wks. III. 94. The venerable rust that rather adorns and preserves, than destroys the metal.
1851. Ruskin, Stones of Ven. (1874), I. Pref. 7. The circular temple of the Croydon Gas Company adorned the centre of the pastoral and sylvan scene.
2. fig. To add luster to, as a quality does.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XV. lxxiii. (1495), 515. Moost noble ryuers, Ganges Indus and Hispanes, that aourne the countre of ynde.
1666. Dryden, Ann. Mirab., 176. Thousands were there Whose names some nobler poem shall adorn.
1742. W. Collins, Ecl., I. 40. Each softer virtue that adorns the fair.
1848. L. Hunt, Jar of Honey, ix. 119. The following might have adorned the pages of Spenser.
Mod. The piety that adorns his character.
3. Hence, Of a person: To add to the honor, splendor or attractiveness of anything, by his presence.
1534. Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), E. The holie senate was adorned with olde prudente persons.
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 527, ¶ 2. The pitying Goddess easily comply’d, Follow’d in Triumph, and adorn’d her Guide.
1727. Pope, Dunc., III. 134. And a new Cibber shall the stage adorn.
1795. Sewel, trans. Hist. Quakers, I. II. 143. That every one, in your respective places, may adorn the truth.
1870. L’Estrange, Life of Miss Mitford, I. iv. 108. Three such women as have seldom adorned one age and one country.
II. To furnish with ornaments.
4. To fit out or furnish with anything that beautifies; to deck, ornament, beautify, decorate or embellish (with). Now chiefly poetic.
1430. Lydg., Chron. Troy, II. xvi. I can my worke … Right as me lyst, adourne and make fayre.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour, 39. To see you in suche pompe and pride to aorne suche a carion as is youre body.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 268/2. Our sauyour went to his passion on horsbacke aourned as a kynge.
1530. Palsgr., 417/2. I adorne, I beautyfy with fayre clothes or otherwyse. Jadorne.
1580. Baret, Alvearie, To be adourned with garlandes and Roses on their heades.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., V. iv. 134. Adorne his Temples with a Coronet.
1607. Topsell, Serpents (1653), 805. The female … maketh much of her young ones, licking and adorning their skins.
1611. Bible, Is. lxi. 10. As a bride adorneth herselfe with her iewels.
1718. Freethinker, No. 150, in Philol. Anglic. He would take as much care to adorn his mind as his body.
1807. Crabbe, Par. Reg., II. 318. A decent room Adorned with carpet, formed in Wilton’s loom.
1853. Arabian Nights (Routl.), 584. Begin to adorn yourself in one of your most elegant dresses.
5. fig. To embellish with any property or quality.
1430. Lydg., Chron. Troy, III. xxv. To magnifye And adourne it with his eloquence.
1530. Palsgr., 417. It is better to adorne the with vertues.
1586. T. B., trans. La Primaudaye’s Fr. Acad., II. 195. The gifts and graces, wherewith God daily adorneth and enricheth his children.
1652. Needham, trans. Selden’s Mare Cl., 9. Most deservedly adorned with divers other honors in his own country.
1756. Burke, Subl. & B., Wks. I. 298. The many great vertues with which he has adorned his mind.
† 6. To deck out speciously, dress up, ‘get up,’ prepare. Obs.
1589. Nashe, Anat. Absurd., 6. Are they not ashamed … to adorne a pretence of profit mixt with pleasure.
1622. Fotherby, Atheom., I. v. § 3. 34. No man adorneth disputation against him.
¶ By confusion of ador-en and adorn-(en, helped by the sense of honor, in which both meet: To adore.
1470. Harding, Chron., lxvii. Mars, the God of Armes, they did adorne.
1480. Caxton, Ovid’s Metam., X. v. She wolde leve this contre in [which she] was aorned and worshipped.
1581. Nuce, trans. Seneca’s Octavia, 174 b. Augustus … Whom as a God in minsters we adorne.
a. 1600. Soutar descryvit, in Ever-Green (1761), I. 118. Kneiland full lawly on thair Kneis, Thair Gods till adorn.
