garden centre
570
who appear on these programmes, such as Alan
Titchmarsh and Charlie Dimmock, have become very
famous and have sold many books about gardening.
There are GARDEN CENTRES in every town and city in the
UK, selling plants, trees, and gardening equipment. Each
year, the Royal Horticultural Society organizes the Chelsea
Flower Show in London. Many British people like to visit
famous public gardens such as the Royal Botanic
Gardens at Kew in west London.
'garden ,centre BrE || nursery AmE — n a place where
equipment and tools for gardening, and plants and flowers
are sold
,garden 'city n especially BrE a town or part of a town (a garden
suburb), planned and built to have grass, trees, and open
spaces, rather than factories and signs of industry → compare
NEW TOWN
'garden ,flat BrE || 'garden a,parment AmE — n a flat in a
BASEMENT or on the ground floor which has a garden
gar-de-ni-a /gɑː'diːniə||'gɑːr-/ n a tropical bush with large
white or yellow sweet-smelling flowers
,Garden of 'Eden, the → see EDEN
,Garden of 'England, the a name for the COUNTY of Kent
in southeast England, because of the fruit and vegetables it
produces
'garden ,party also lawn party AmE — n a formal party
held out of doors on the grass, especially in a large garden
CULTURAL NOTE Every year, the British Queen holds
several garden parties at BUCKINGHAM PALACE. The
guests are usually invited as a reward for their work or
achievements, and it is considered a great honour.
'garden-va,riety adj AmE sometimes derog ordinary; not unu-
sual: She's a stripper and her husband's a garden-variety
criminal. | garden-variety complaints about public transport
'garden ,wedding n AmE a wedding which takes place in a
garden
Gard-ner, Erle Stan-ley /'gɑːdnə||'gɑːr-, ɜːl
'stænliːɜːrl-/ (1889–1970) a US writer of crime stories who
invented the character of the lawyer, Perry Mason
Gar-field /'gɑːfiːld||'gɑːr-/ the main character in a humor-
ous CARTOON STRIP (=a set of drawings that tell a story) that
appears in hundreds of US newspapers and some British
ones every day. Garfield is a cat, and there are many Garfield
books and toys on sale, especially a toy cat which people
stick on their car windows.
Gar-fun-kel, Art /gɑː'fʌŋkəl||gɑːr-/ → see SIMON AND
GARFUNKEL
gar-gan-tu-an /gɑː'gæntʃuən||gɑːr-/ adj extremely large;
GIGANTIC: a gargantuan meal | He had a gargantuan appetite.
gar-gle¹ /'gɑːgəl||'gɑːr-/ v [I(with)] to wash the throat or
mouth by blowing air from the LUNGS through liquid held in
the throat or mouth; people may do this with medicine if
they have a sore throat, or with a preparation to make the
breath smell fresh
gargle² n 1 [S] an act of gargling: Have a good gar-
gle. 2 [C;U] (a) liquid with which one gargles
gar-goy-le /'gɑːgɔɪl||'gɑːr-/ n an often ugly stone figure of a
person or animal on a roof or wall, especially of a church,
through whose mouth rainwater is carried away
Gar-i-bal-di, Giu-sep-pe /ˌgær'bɔːldi, dʒu'sepi/ (1807–82)
an Italian military leader who helped Italy to become a
united, independent country by taking control of Sicily and
Naples in 1860
,Garibaldi 'biscuit n BrE a type of flat square BISCUIT
containing CURRANTS
gar-ish /'geərɪʃ/ adj unpleasantly bright: garish colours | a
garish jacket —→ly adv —→ness n [U]
gar-land¹ /'gɑːlənd||'gɑːr-/ n a circle of flowers, leaves, or
both, especially one that is worn round the neck for decora-
tion or as a sign of victory → compare WREATH
garland² v [T(with)] to put one or more garlands on: They
garlanded him with flowers.
Garland, Ju-dy /'dʒuːdi/ (1922–69) a US film actress and
singer who first appeared in films as a child. She is most
famous for appearing as the character Dorothy in The
WIZARD OF OZ (1939). Other films include Meet Me in St Louis
(1944) and A Star is Born (1954). Her daughter, Liza MINNELLI,
is also an actress and singer.
gar-lic /'gɑːlɪk||'gɑːr-/ n [U] a plant rather like an onion,
which is used in cooking to give a strong taste: a clove of
garlic | a garlic press —→ky adj: his garlicky breath
gar-ment /'gɑːmənt||'gɑːr-/ n fml or tech an article of clothing
gar-ner /'gɑːnə||'gɑːr-/ v [T] lit to collect or store
gar-net /'gɑːnɪt||'gɑːr-/ n 1 [C] a red jewel 2 [U] a deep red
colour
Gar-nett, Alf /'gɑːnɪt||'gɑːr-, ælf/ a character in the humor-
ous British television programme Till Death Us Do Part, which
was broadcast in the 1960s and 1970s. Alf Garnett was a
British WORKING-CLASS man with very RIGHT-WING political
opinions. He was very proud of being British, admired the
British Royal Family and believed that foreign people, espe-
cially black people, should not be allowed to live in the UK.
People sometimes use his name to describe someone with
similar opinions.
gar-nish¹ /'gɑːnɪʃ||'gɑːr-/ n anything that is used to
improve the appearance or taste of food, such as small
pieces of fruit or vegetable
garnish² v [T(with)] to add a garnish to (food): The chicken
was garnished with watercress and tiny new potatoes. → see
DECORATE (USAGE)
garnish³ also gar-nish-ee /ˌgɑːnɪ'ʃiː||ˌgɑːr-/ v [T] AmE to
take money from (a person's wages) by a court order because
he has failed to pay a debt: They're garnishing my wages to
pay my wife alimony.
gar-ret /'gærɪt/ n especially lit a small usually unpleasant room
at the top of a building → compare ATTIC
CULTURAL NOTE People often think of poor writers and
artists living in garrets, as these rooms were often cheap
to rent.
Gar-rick Club, the /'gærɪk ˌklʌb/ also the Garrick a
GENTLEMAN'S CLUB in London whose members include
many actors and other men who work in the theatre.
Women are not allowed to join the club.
gar-ri-son¹ /'gærɪsən/ n 1 [+sing./pl. v] a group of soldiers
living in a town or fort and defending it: The garrison
was/were called out when news of the enemy's advance was
received. 2 a fort or camp where such soldiers live: In the old
days this used to be a garrison town.
garrison² v [T] to (send a group of soldiers to) guard (a
place): The government will garrison the coastal towns. | Our
regiment will garrison the town next month.
gar-rotte /gə'rɒt||gə'rɑːt/ n a metal collar or wire which
may be tightened round the neck to prevent someone from
breathing and so kill them —→garrotte v [T]
gar-ru-lous /'gærələs/ adj fml habitually talking too much
—→ly adv —→ness n [U]
gar-ter /'gɑːtə||'gɑːr-/ n 1 a band of elastic material worn
round the leg to keep a sock or STOCKING up. It is a custom in
Britain for BRIDES (=women getting married) to wear a garter
on one leg. 2 AmE for SUSPENDER
Garter, the Order of the the highest order of British
KNIGHTHOOD. The sign of the Order of the Garter is a blue
VELVET garter.
'garter ,snake n a small, non-poisonous North American
snake with stripes down the length of its back
Ga-ru-da /gə'ruːdə/ also Ga,ru.da Indo'nesia an Indone-
sian AIRLINE
gas¹ /gæs/ n pl gases or gasses 1 [C;U] (a type of substance
like air, which is not solid or liquid and usually cannot be
seen: Oxygen and nitrogen are gases. | a gas cylinder 2 [U] a
substance of this type, especially NATURAL GAS which is burnt
in the home for heating and cooking and formerly also for
light: a gas cooker/fire | He turned on/lit the gas. | A gas main
exploded. 3 [U] a substance of this type which is used to
poison or cause extreme discomfort: The police used tear gas
to control the riot. 4 [U] AmE infml petrol: We're out of gas. | a gas
tank 5 [U] AmE for WIND 6 [S] infml, especially AmE something
funny, entertaining, or enjoyable: Woody Allen's latest film's a
real gas! 7 [U] infml derog, especially BrE unimportant talk: Don't
pay any attention; it's all gas! → see also LAUGHING GAS