Also 7 festin, 8 feston. [ad. Fr. feston (= Sp. feston, Pg. festão), ad. It. festone; believed to be f. festa FEAST sb.; the etymological sense would thus be ‘decoration for a feast.’]
1. A chain or garland of flowers, leaves, etc., suspended in a curved form between two points.
1686. Aglionby, Painting Illust., Expl. of Terms. Festoon. Is an Ornament of Flowers, employed in Borders and Decorations.
a. 1732. Gay, Story of Arachne, 209. Festoons of flow’rs inwove with ivy shine.
1754. Mrs. Delany, Lett. to Mrs. Dewes, 6 July. I have not yet got shells large enough for the festoons.
1792. A. Young, Trav. France, 22. Here, for the first time, see rows of maples, with vines, trained in festoons, from tree to tree.
1820. W. Irving, Sketch Bk., II. 368. Strings of dried apples and peaches, hung in gay festoons along the walls, mingled with the gaud of red peppers.
1852. D. G. Mitchell, Batte Summer, 204. A rich festoon of nine banners.
1856. Kane, Arct. Expl., I. x. 106. Steaks of salt junk, artistically cut, are strung on lines like a countrywoman’s dried apples, and soaked in festoons under the ice.
b. transf. Something hanging in this shape.
1841–44. Emerson, Ess., Heroism, Wks. (Bohn), I. 102. Thunderclouds are Jove’s festoons.
1870. E. Peacock, Ralf Skirl., II. 8. The apartment was decorated in a very rough fashion, with large festoons of blue and white ribbon, and big flags with the armorial insignia of the candidate, whose shield presented the same tints as his party colours.
1887. Ruskin, Præterita, II. xi. 398. After passing the curved rock from which the waterfall leaps into its calm festoons, the cliffs become changed in material.
2. Archit. A carved or moulded ornament representing this. Festoon and tassel border, in pottery: a band representing alternately festoons and a hanging or drooping ornament.
1676. Coles, Festoon.
1682. Wheler, Journ. Greece, V. 394. We saw two large Corinthian Capitals, and an Altar or Pedestal for a Statue, with Festins carv’d about it, sustain’d by Bulls-heds.
1692. Settle, Triumphs Lond. An Arch, on which is erected the King’s-Arms in a most noble Shield, with Festoons of Silver on each side.
1768–71. H. Walpole, Vertue’s Anecd. Paint. (1786), III. 291. It represents Flora … and boys in alto-relievo supporting festoons.
1875. Fortnum, Maiolica, x. 88. In the British museum are some fine dishes, one of which is remarkable for the admirable execution of the work, on which are represented figures in the costume of the 15th century, festoons of fruit and other ornaments.
1879. H. Phillips, Notes Coins, 10. The puteal which this coin presents has on each side a lyre suspended by a festoon.
3. Ornith. A lobe on the cutting edge of a hawk’s beak.
1855. Dallas, Nat. Hist., II. 360. The True or Noble Falcons, which are distinguished … by … a slight festoon or sinuosity on the lateral margins of the upper mandible.
4. Collector’s name of a moth.
1819. G. Samouelle, Entomol. Compend., 432. Apoda Testudo, The Festoon.
5. attrib. and Comb., as festoon-curtain, -vineyard, -work. Also festoon-like, adj.
1794. W. Felton, Carriages (1801), II. 17. To a set of *festoon Curtains for a Coach.
1870. G. Rolleston, Forms of Animal Life, 32. In several *festoon-like coils.
1717. Berkeley, Jrnl. Tour Italy, 9 June. *Festoon vineyards right and left.
1893. Huxley, in Westm. Gaz., 29 Dec., 4/3. I was not overburdened with love for such dialectic *festoon-work.
