FANCYWORK

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does fancywork mean? 

• FANCYWORK (noun)
  The noun FANCYWORK has 1 sense:

1. decorative needlework

  Familiarity information: FANCYWORK used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FANCYWORK (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Decorative needlework

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

embroidery; fancywork

Hypernyms ("fancywork" is a kind of...):

needlecraft; needlework (a creation created or assembled by needle and thread)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "fancywork"):

candlewick (loops of soft yarn are cut to give a tufted pattern)

crewelwork (embroidery done with loosely twisted worsted yarn)

cross-stitch (embroidery done with pairs of stitches that cross each other)

cutwork (embroidery in which the design is outlined in a buttonhole stitch and the intervening material is cut away)

drawnwork (ornamental needlework done by drawing threads to form lacelike patterns)

faggoting; fagoting (embroidery in which groups of parallel threads are tied together with fagot stitches)

hemstitch (embroidery similar to drawnwork)

needlepoint; needlepoint embroidery (embroidery consisting of allover embroidered canvas resembling tapestry)

sampler (a piece of embroidery demonstrating skill with various stitches)

smocking (embroidery consisting of ornamental needlework on a garment that is made by gathering the cloth tightly in stitches)

 Context examples 

When I was first married, I used to long for my new clothes to wear out or get torn, so that I might have the pleasure of mending them, for I got heartily sick of doing fancywork and tending my pocket handkerchief.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)