"Christmas-tree" - Word of the Day from the OED

[Dave Monroe]

 OED Online Word of the Day

**


  *Christmas-tree* SECOND EDITION 1989

    *1. a.* A small tree, usually a fir, set up in a room, illuminated and
hung with ornaments, and bearing Christmas presents; a famous feature of
Christmas celebration in Germany, frequently but imperfectly imitated in
England, especially since its introduction into the royal household in the
early years of the reign of Queen Victoria. [*1789* MRS. PAPENDICK
*Jrnls.*II. 158 (N. & Q.) This Christmas Mr. Papendick proposed an
illuminated tree
according to the German fashion. *1829* *Greville Mem.* (Xmas.) The Princess
Lieren got up a little fête such as is customary all over Germany. Three
trees in great pots were put upon a long table, etc.] *1835* A. J.
KEMPE<http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-k.html#a-j-kempe>in
*Loseley MSS.* 75 We remember a German of the household of the late Queen
Caroline, making what he termed a Christmas tree for a juvenile party. *1848
* *Illust. Lond. News* 1 Jan. 431/1 Christmas Festivities at Windsor..the
sideboards were surmounted with stately 'Christmas Trees', glittering with
pendant bonbons, etc. *1853* MRS.
CARLYLE<http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-c.html#mrs-carlyle>
*Lett.* II. 238, I..had nothing to do but dress dolls for a Christmas-tree.
*1869* HAZLITT <http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-h2.html#hazlitt>Brand's
*Pop. Antiq.* (1870) I. 287 But the Christmas-tree..came to us from Germany
directly..and is still (1869) a flourishing institution among us.

    *b.* (*a*) = POHUTUKAWA *N.Z.*;    (*b*) any of various Australian
shrubs which flower about Christmas-time, esp. *Nuytsia floribunda* of
Western Australia. *1867* F. VON HOCHSTETTER *N.Z.* xi. 240 Some few
scattered Pohutukawa trees... About Christmas these trees are full of
charming purple-blossoms; the settler..calls the tree 'Christmas-tree'. *
1944* W. R. B. OLIVER<http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-o.html#w-r-b-oliver>in
*Korero* II. 11 Sept. 13 The glory of the Auckland coast, at least in
mid-summer, is the pohutukawa or Christmas tree. *1966* *Times* 11 Nov. (W.
Austral. Suppl.) p. iv/2 The hot gold cascade of *nuytsia floribunda* the
parasitic Christmas tree.

    *2.* *transf.* A mechanical device or a structure in the shape or
operation of which there is a fancied resemblance to a Christmas-tree. (See
quots.) *1917* 'CONTACT'<http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-c3.html#contact>
*Airman's Outings* 12 The movable mounting for the observer's gun in the
rear cockpit was a weird contraption like a giant catapult... We called it
the Christmas Tree, the Heath Robinson, the Jabberwock, [etc.]. *1929* R. G
RAVES <http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-g2.html#r-graves> *Goodbye to
all That* xii. 135 My belt was hung with all the usual furnishings[image:
{em}]revolver, field-glasses, compass, whisky-flask, wire-cutters,
periscope, and a lot more. A Christmas-tree that was called. *1930* W. H. O
SGOOD *Recov. Petroleum* II. xvii. 706 Well-head connections or Christmas
trees..operating a well on the lift. *Ibid.* 711 Various types of packed
casing heads are used in the casing-head or Christmas tree assembly on
gas-lift wells. *1944* *Amer. Speech* XIX. 230/2 'Shipyard Terms'..*Christmas
tree*, auxiliary steam manifold with lines and valves in all directions. *
1948* *Ibid.* XXIII. 37 *Christmas Tree*. This electric indicator board
resembles the object from which its name is derived only because the lights
on it are red and green. The function of the Christmas tree is to give
proper notification that all the necessary valves and hatches are closed
when a submarine dives. *1957*
RAWNSLEY<http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-r.html#rawnsley>&
WRIGHT <http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-w3.html#wright> *
Night-Fighter* iv. 56 The signals bounce back from the ground just as they
do from other aircraft in the air, but they give a much stronger echo. And
the lower you fly the further down the trace the Christmas tree comes.

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