Meaning & use
decorated to the nines
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Meaning
phrasefixed phraseinformal
Dressed or decorated in a very elaborate, showy, or fancy way.
Grammar: Used as an adjective phrase after a linking verb: She was decorated to the nines. Not used before a noun.
Patterns
- be decorated to the nines
- get dressed up to the nines
For the gala, the hall was decorated to the nines with flowers and lights.
She arrived at the party decorated to the nines in a silver gown.
The Christmas tree was decorated to the nines with ribbons and gold ornaments.
Common combinations
- dressed to the nines
- He was dressed to the nines for the wedding.
- decorated to the nines
- The hotel lobby was decorated to the nines for the holiday.
- done up to the nines
- The old house was done up to the nines before the sale.
Synonyms and how they differ
- dressed up
- Dressed up is more general and can mean simply wearing nicer clothes; decorated to the nines suggests extreme, showy elaboration.
- elaborate
- Elaborate describes something with many details; decorated to the nines is an informal idiom with a stronger sense of excess.
Opposites
Word family
- decorate verb
- To add something to make a place or thing look nicer.
- decoration noun
- Something added to make a place or thing look nicer.
- decorative adjective
- Intended to look attractive rather than to be useful.
Commonly confused: decorated to the nines or decorated to the nines vs. dressed to the nines?
decorated to the nines vs decorated to the nines vs. dressed to the nines
Both mean very elaborately presented. 'Dressed to the nines' is used for people; 'decorated to the nines' is used for places or things, though 'dressed' can also refer to windows or rooms.
Practice
What does 'decorated to the nines' mean?
Choose one answer.
The idiom means decorated in a very elaborate, showy way. It does not mean decorated with nine things, nor does it mean plain or messy.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “decorated to the nines”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.