tinsel

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. Very thin sheets, strips, or threads of a glittering material used as a decoration.
2. n. Something sparkling or showy but basically valueless: the tinsel of parties and promotional events.
3. adj. Made of or decorated with tinsel.
4. adj. Gaudy, showy, and basically valueless.
5. v. To decorate with or as if with tinsel: tinsel a Christmas tree.
6. v. To give a false sparkle to.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. In electricity, fine threads of copper or bronze wire used in making up flexible stranded conductors for portable and other fixtures.
2. Specifically, to embellish (ceramic ware) with metallic effects.
3. n. Loss; forfeiture.
4. n. Some glittering metallic substance, as burnished brass, copper, or tin, made in sheets approaching the thinness of foil, and used in pieces, strips, or threads for any purpose in which a sparkling effect is desired without much cost. Gold and silver tinsel, round or flat, made of Dutch metal, is much employed in the manufacture of artificial flies.
5. n. A fabric or some material for dress overlaid or shot with glittering metallic sparkles or threads. The name has been given to cloth of silk interwoven with gold or silver threads.
6. n. Figuratively, glistening or gaudy show; superficial glitter or sparkle; garish pretense.
7. Consisting of, or characteristic of, tinsel; hence, gaudy; showy to excess; speciously glittering.
8. To adorn with tinsel; hence, to adorn with anything showy and glittering.

Wiktionary

1. n. A shining material used for ornamental purposes; especially, a very thin, gauzelike cloth with much gold or silver woven into it; also, very thin metal overlaid with a thin coating of gold or silver, brass foil, or the like.
2. n. Very thin strips of a glittering, metallic material used as a decoration, and traditionally, draped at Christmas time over streamers, paper chains and the branches of Christmas trees.
3. n. Anything shining and gaudy; something superficially shining and showy, or having a false luster, and more gay than valuable.
4. adj. Glittering, later especially superficially so; gaudy, showy.
5. v. transitive To adorn with tinsel; to deck out with cheap but showy ornaments; to make gaudy.
6. v. figuratively, transitive To give a false sparkle to (something).

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. A shining material used for ornamental purposes; especially, a very thin, gauzelike cloth with much gold or silver woven into it; also, very thin metal overlaid with a thin coating of gold or silver, brass foil, or the like.
2. n. Something shining and gaudy; something superficially shining and showy, or having a false luster, and more gay than valuable.
3. adj. Showy to excess; gaudy; specious; superficial.
4. v. To adorn with tinsel; to deck out with cheap but showy ornaments; to make gaudy.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a thread with glittering metal foil attached
2. v. interweave with tinsel
3. v. adorn with tinsel
4. n. a showy decoration that is basically valueless
5. v. impart a cheap brightness to