Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A small bouquet of flowers; a nosegay.
  • noun A cone-shaped holder for such a bouquet.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English tussemose, perhaps reduplication of *tusse.]

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Examples

  • These we taken apart at the seam very easily then centering the ribbon handles we cut large triangles out and rolled these into tussie-mussie cones.

    More Shaped Tags/Ornaments 2008

  • A nosegay, posey or posie, posy, flower bouquet or tussie-mussie is a small bunch of flowers, typically given as a gift.

    [flowers] a language of their own 2009

  • In their current form, they rose to popularity during the reign of Queen Victoria, from 1837 onwards, at which time the tussie-mussie became a popular fashion accessory.

    [flowers] a language of their own 2009

  • In their current form, they rose to popularity during the reign of Queen Victoria, from 1837 onwards, at which time the tussie-mussie became a popular fashion accessory.

    Archive 2009-06-01 2009

  • A nosegay, posey or posie, posy, flower bouquet or tussie-mussie is a small bunch of flowers, typically given as a gift.

    Archive 2009-06-01 2009

  • They came at him, the pitiful things, shuffling and wailing; but De'Unnero outran most, and when some circled to block his path to the monastery, the monk leaped on tiger legs, clearing them easily, landing lightly and running on, toward the tussie-mussie bed.

    Mortalis Salvatore, R. A., 1959- 1999

  • Across the frozen and long-dead tussie-mussie bed he went, into the muddy field, into the cold wind blowing back off All Saints Bay.

    Mortalis Salvatore, R. A., 1959- 1999

  • She knew, too, however, that she would not allow herself to run behind tussie-mussie beds and locked gates, as had Braumin Herde and all the Abellican Church.

    Mortalis Salvatore, R. A., 1959- 1999

  • On Master Bou-raiy's suggestion, Master Machuso had hired the gathered plague victims to plant this year's huge tussie-mussie, a massive flower bed that would continue on and on as far as the victims could plant, that might span the mile of ground fronting St. - Mere-Abelle's western wall.

    Mortalis Salvatore, R. A., 1959- 1999

  • Merry Cowsenfed walked past her stunned, sobbing companions to the body lying in the tussie-mussie bed, a man who had come to the field out - side of St. Gwendolyn only three days before.

    Mortalis Salvatore, R. A., 1959- 1999

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