decorating
decorating — verb
1. to put things such as flowers, coloured paper, lights, or other attractive items
to put things such as flowers, coloured paper, lights, or other attractive items on or around something so that it looks more appealing, often for a celebration or special occasion
The children spent Saturday morning decorating the living room with paper streamers and balloons.
decorate [place] with [items]
Lara decorated her desk with a small plant and a framed photo of her dog.
Every winter, the street market is decorated with hundreds of colourful fairy lights.
Amelia enjoys decorating her bedroom walls with posters of her favourite musicians.
- adorn
more formal and literary; often used for jewellery or clothing: 'a crown adorned with gems'
- embellish
can mean adding decorative detail to an object or exaggerating a story; has a slightly creative or artistic feel
- ornament
similar meaning but often focuses on architectural or design contexts; less common in everyday speech
- strip
to remove decoration: 'they stripped the Christmas tree of its ornaments'
文法句型
decorate + object + with + noun group
用法筆記
Often used for celebrations such as birthdays, weddings, Christmas, or parties. The ornamental items are introduced by 'with': 'decorate the hall with ribbons.' An intransitive use is also common: 'We spent all day decorating for the party.'
常見錯誤
2. to change the appearance of a room, house, or building by painting its walls, pu
to change the appearance of a room, house, or building by painting its walls, putting up wallpaper, or doing similar surface work to make it look fresh or different
Mert and his wife are decorating their new flat before moving in next weekend.
continuous tense: are decorating [place]
Kenji spent the summer holidays decorating his grandfather's old house in the village.
spend time V-ing: spent [time] decorating
Emma is planning to start decorating the kitchen next Monday after the new furniture arrives.
Marta decorated the nursery with pale yellow paint and a wallpaper pattern of tiny elephants.
文法句型
decorate + object (room / house)
be decorating (no object when context is clear)
用法筆記
Intransitive when the room or house is clear from the situation: 'We are decorating this weekend.' Transitive when the specific room is named: 'We decorated the hallway.' Not used for furnishing, adding curtains, or choosing soft furnishings — those are separate activities.
常見錯誤
3. to give someone a medal or official honour as a formal way of recognising their
to give someone a medal or official honour as a formal way of recognising their bravery, excellent service, or important achievement, especially in the military or public service
The general was decorated for his bravery during the rescue mission in the mountains.
passive: was decorated for [reason]
Several firefighters were decorated by the mayor after saving the children from the burning building.
passive: were decorated by [authority]
Sade's grandfather was decorated for his service as a pilot during the war.
The young soldier was decorated with a medal for pulling his injured comrades to safety.
文法句型
be decorated + for + reason (bravery, service)
be decorated + with + medal name
decorated soldier/officer (attributive use)
用法筆記
Almost always used in the passive voice ('was decorated') or as an attributive adjective ('a decorated war hero'). The active voice ('The government decorated him') is possible but very rare in natural English.
常見錯誤
decorating — noun
1. the practical work of painting walls, putting up wallpaper, and choosing colours
the practical work of painting walls, putting up wallpaper, and choosing colours and surface treatments to make a room or building look more pleasant
Tamar has been doing some decorating in the bathroom — she repainted all the walls herself.
do + some decorating
The shop on the corner sells paint, brushes, and everything you need for home decorating.
home decorating (compound noun)
Nora took a weekend interior decorating class on choosing colours and furniture.
The Lakan family hired a professional decorator because the living room ceiling was very high.
- interior design
broader and more professional — includes furniture, lighting, and overall room planning, not just surface work
- home improvement
broader — includes structural changes, new floors, and kitchen or bathroom fitting
文法句型
do + decorating
the decorating
some decorating
interior decorating
用法筆記
Uncountable noun. Use 'do some decorating' or 'do the decorating' when referring to the task. 'Interior decorating' is a recognised profession and field of study. Do not use 'decoratings' — there is no plural form.