Home UK English lavish

Meaning of lavish in English:

lavish

Pronunciation /ˈlavɪʃ/

See synonyms for lavish

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adjective

  • 1Sumptuously rich, elaborate, or luxurious.

    ‘a lavish banquet’
    • ‘The directors' lavish lifestyles and sumptuous houses on the outskirts of Sydney raised the heckles of the Australian public.’
    • ‘Only in sports do we generally find plush, sumptuous, lavish condominium accommodations.’
    • ‘Ngaanyatjarra is an especially rich and lavish language, both in its grades of meaning and its structure and its sound.’
    • ‘It was in his time that the use of rosewater as a flavouring for food came into vogue in the lavish and sumptuous cuisine of the Arabs.’
    • ‘The buildings in the Arts District were all designed with fancy and expensive, lavish architecture.’
    • ‘The surveillance team was rewarded with leftovers from the lavish banquets, which were much better than their usual fare.’
    • ‘Gone were the lavish decorations that had adorned the walls to celebrate their arrival that first time, but even so it was still far too overly decorated for Matthew's taste.’
    • ‘The dinner and drinking party was a favourite theme in the lavish paintings which adorned their tombs.’
    • ‘Of course the costumes and sets are lush and lavish.’
    • ‘This lavish, opulent approach - one might call it ‘good taste with good humour’ - is typical of her style.’
    • ‘There was an unending search for blockbusters that depended on lavish sets and costly special effects, to draw crowds into the cinema halls.’
    • ‘He threw some of the most lavish parties Fort Worth had ever seen.’
    • ‘I had twin sons and lived a rather lavish lifestyle.’
    • ‘The perfect spot for calm and quiet intimacy before more lavish dinners, drinks and dancing on the upper floors.’
    • ‘He also lives the kind of lavish lifestyle that also doesn't come cheaply.’
    • ‘Well, I think it is rather lavish.’
    • ‘There were various celebrations honoring the gods, often accompanied by lavish banquets.’
    • ‘There was also a live concert of indigenous music and a lavish banquet.’
    • ‘The Queen will get things under way on Thursday night at a lavish opening ceremony.’
    • ‘After the meeting, the resort laid on a lavish Hawaiian style buffet on the beachfront.’
    sumptuous, luxurious, luxuriant, lush, gorgeous, costly, opulent, grand, elaborate, splendid, rich, regal, ornate, expensive
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    1. 1.1(of a person) very generous or extravagant.
      ‘he was lavish with his hospitality’
      • ‘He was lavish with her, but not like the movie would have you believe.’
      • ‘Sometimes they cannot afford much, and in times of crisis, even when they are lavish it does not feel like enough.’
      • ‘There was one exception to his lavish generosity.’
      • ‘They're not extravagant or lavish, really, but he runs into the kitchen and stands on my feet every time he hears me open the cupboard.’
      • ‘He was a lavish philanthropist, endowing hospitals and libraries as well as the famous art gallery.’
      generous, liberal, bountiful, open-handed, unstinting, unsparing, ungrudging, free, munificent, handsome
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    2. 1.2Spent or given in profusion.
      ‘lavish praise’
      • ‘The lavish praise is only possible because the book note is riddled with factual errors and misleading innuendo from start to finish.’
      • ‘He paid lavish praise to the girls for their wonderful liturgy.’
      • ‘Witness their lavish praise for the ‘nice and friendly’ treatment they got on a return visit for a check-up.’
      • ‘A husband not believing in spending much on gifts is usually mated to a woman who believes in giving lavish gifts as tokens of love.’
      • ‘That gave Ellen a golden opportunity to shower the couple with some pretty lavish baby gifts.’
      • ‘In some parts of the country, where children's parties are big business, youngsters can leave with lavish gifts.’
      • ‘The new team, despite being warned, bestowed lavish gifts upon that one man.’
      • ‘As a newly promoted side, anywhere in the top 10 will earn lavish praise.’
      • ‘He hates exchanging gifts (I'm not big on lavish gifting myself) and really isn't in to all the hype.’
      • ‘This need not be a problem if they don't get lavish gifts for the godchild and if your other children have godparents who spend special time with them.’
      • ‘Any time your children show good manners - which is at the heart of being considerate and kind - lavish praise on them.’
      • ‘This is a genuine reflection of his entire approach which in recent days has evoked lavish praise in the financial press on both sides of the English Channel.’
      • ‘Other funds paid for their first-class travel or covered lavish gifts.’
      • ‘She receives lavish gifts and letters with armorial seals from far-away places, possibly from a lover.’
      • ‘I only wish for a small wedding, no gifts or lavish food or gowns, just my family and their blessings.’
      • ‘If you're not ready to spoil your pet with lavish gifts and gourmet treats just yet, start small.’
      • ‘It's not the affection that she enjoys, but rather the lavish gifts that are tossed her way.’
      • ‘True, beyond lavish praise, Los Angeles has always been a place of dreams and metaphors.’
      • ‘But it was the landscape that attracted his most lavish praise as they traveled.’
      • ‘They are generous, petty, lavish with their opinions, open-hearted.’
      abundant, copious, ample, superabundant, plentiful, profuse, liberal, prolific, generous
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verb

[with object]lavish something on

  • 1Bestow something in generous or extravagant quantities on.

    ‘the media couldn't lavish enough praise on the film’
    • ‘Over the next three meals, she had steadily turned up the heat, and all he ever did was lavish compliments on the quality and quantity of the food.’
    • ‘They have spent years lavishing their love on scores of disadvantaged and special needs children.’
    • ‘But nobody can fault him for not lavishing enough hyperbole on his creation.’
    • ‘They lavished many gifts on the King, and they praised his advisers for their wisdom in bringing the palace to completion.’
    • ‘He was riding on the success of the publications of The Happy Prince, Dorian Gray and the staging of Lady Windermere's Fan in 1892, lavishing gifts on his friends.’
    • ‘He has always enjoyed the champagne lifestyle, wining and dining a succession of girlfriends and lavishing presents on friends.’
    • ‘Did you regret lavishing such care on my education when I used it to sever all dependency as soon as I could?’
    • ‘In ever greater numbers, collectors lavished their treasures on the museum.’
    • ‘She also ran up a £7,000 shoe bill and lavished gifts on friends and relations.’
    • ‘The Government has also lavished funds on the constituency over the past year and sent a record number of ministers to attend events there.’
    give freely, spend, expend, heap, shower, pour, deluge, give generously, give unstintingly, bestow freely
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    1. 1.1lavish someone withGive someone generous amounts of.
      ‘he was lavished with gifts’
      • ‘Nicky works in the evening as an insurance claims handler - she admits that she lavishes Lewis with too much attention during the day.’
      • ‘If the universe hasn't lavished you with extravagance lately, use this week's Mercurian energy to add some major extensions to your wish list.’
      • ‘He has been suggested for the Nobel Peace Prize, is supported by more than 80 percent of the French public, and even his enemies are lavishing him with praise.’
      • ‘But he had always been a sentimental kid at heart, and was probably just jealous because I wasn't lavishing him with attention for a change.’
      • ‘She sits and doesn't make a fuss, expecting him to solve all her problems and come back, lavishing her with attention at his exhibition which is the sole purpose of the visit.’
      • ‘I lavished Max with attention in order to avoid eye contact.’
      • ‘As a child, Jenna experienced love as inconsistent - she would be lavished with affection, then suddenly her parents would withdraw into their own worlds.’
      • ‘One moment, he was lavishing her with affection, blessing her with his openness.’
      • ‘Enchanted by her presence, he lavishes her with attention.’
      • ‘And again - if I've only met you once, six months ago, there are limits to how willing and able I will be to lavish you with praise and encouragement.’

Origin

Late Middle English (as a noun denoting profusion): from Old French lavasse ‘deluge of rain’, from laver ‘to wash’, from Latin lavare.