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1mass noun A rich, heavy silk or linen fabric with a pattern woven into it, used for table linen and upholstery.
‘the walls are covered with faded red damask’count noun ‘silks and damasks’as modifier ‘a heavy damask tablecloth’- ‘She described a line of furniture that included rich, ornately carved mahogany pieces and very crisp, tailored upholstery in silk and damask.’
- ‘Fabrics here include silk damask devores, silk damask and stripes and plains inspired by Imperial Russia.’
- ‘Throughout the pavilion, the most costly materials were used: precious wood veneers and lacquer for furniture, silk damasks and velvets for upholstery, furs for coverlets and throws.’
- ‘The new decor is cool and pleasant - pale walls, nicely-spaced tables laid with what seems like red damask, rich green carpet with a heraldic design, two fresh peonies on each table.’
- ‘On this rug are four elaborately carved wooden chairs upholstered with luxuriously patterned damask.’
- ‘So I dressed in a gown made of green damask and white silk.’
- ‘The chair, with its handsome gilding, is covered in a crimson silk damask that is similar to the original.’
- ‘Dusty pink flowered silk damask was twisted into an evening gown slashed at the sides to reveal little lozenges of flesh.’
- ‘Marion put the silk damask gown Rose had worn to the evening meal in the chest and closed the lid.’
- ‘The slip seat retains its original leather covering and foundation upholstery underneath modern blue damask.’
- ‘The gown in Plate XIV is of worsted brocaded damask that was pressed after weaving to polish the surface.’
- ‘Draping tables in red and black damask is a simple, dramatic way to transform an eating area inexpensively.’
- ‘Each mattress takes four hours to make and only Jacquard woven damask from Belgium is used in the production.’
- ‘Even centuries later, the rich damasks and velvets favored for upholstery would be seen as the height of chic.’
- ‘For the most part, kids want something cool that their friends feel comfortable hanging out in and a silk damask couch is not it.’
- ‘Wallcoverings made by shaking finely chopped fibers over a pattern printed in varnish or other sticky material to give the appearance of velvet or damask.’
- ‘Margaret wore a gown trimmed in crimson and the Countess of Surrey bore her train, while James was magnificent in white damask with crimson satin sleeves.’
- ‘Silk weaving gave rise to an even greater range of products and styles than the weaving of cotton - brocades, damasks, gauzes, satins, etc., in endless variety.’
- ‘Of a similar date but prettier is a pair of Chinese-yellow damask shoes together with a matching robe altered to form a dressing gown.’
- ‘Leather, damask, and embroidered seats replaced cane and rush.’
2
short for damask rose- ‘Bourbons, damasks, albas, gallicas, mosses and rugosas are all likely groups of roses to choose from for fragrance - the difficulty is narrowing down the candidates.’
- ‘Many old garden roses, and these include the albas, bourbons, centifolias, damasks, chinas, noisettes, etc., bloom only once a season.’
- ‘She is especially fond of gallicas, damasks and ramblers.’
- ‘Dvoøák's Cello Concerto, performed alfresco in city parks, supported by a symphony of albas, gallicas, damasks, musks and, his favourite of all, Rosa primula, the incense rose.’
- ‘Most damasks have arching canes and flowers that bloom in small clusters.’
3
(also damask steel)historicalanother term for Damascus steel- ‘These elegantly shaped weapons are often made from the celebrated damask steel and decorated with precious stones.’
- ‘Its blade is damask steel, while the scabbard is a dull gold with jewels of all colours.’
- ‘It was a Persian concept that soft wrought iron was female, and hardenable carbon steel was male; thereforein laminated damask steel where they were combined.’
- ‘Its blade is damask steel with a scabbard is a dull gold with jewels of all colours set in images that include an English rose, Scottish thistle, and Irish shamrock.’
- ‘A broken sword was equal to death on the battlefield, whereas the tougher damask steel with a harder steel inlay held up better to the demands of battle - technology prevailed over brute strength.’
adjective
literaryHaving the velvety pink or light red colour of a damask rose.
‘her damask cheek’- ‘The film has an interesting plot, but shame about the silly car chases and unconvincing escapes from death or even injury bar a delicate scratch on Johanssen's damask cheek.’
- ‘Sam Mendes's soigné productions with accomplished casts offer many a damask cheek and relatively few warts.’
scarlet, vermilion, ruby, ruby red, ruby-coloured, cherry, cherry red, cerise, cardinal, carmine, wine, wine red, wine-coloured, claret, claret red, claret-coloured, blood red
verb
[with object]literaryDecorate with or as if with a variegated pattern.
‘flowers damask the fragrant seat’- ‘Up, black, striped and damasked like the chasuble’
Origin
Late Middle English from Damaske, early form of the name of Damascus, where the fabric was first produced.
Pronunciation
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