Garnish \Gar"nish\, n.

1. Something added for embellishment; decoration; ornament; also, dress; garments, especially such as are showy or decorated.

So are you, sweet, Even in the lovely garnish of a boy. --Shak.

Matter and figure they produce; For garnish this, and that for use. --Prior.

2. (Cookery) Something set round or upon a dish as an embellishment. See Garnish, v. t., 2. --Smart.

3. Fetters. [Cant]

4. A fee; specifically, in English jails, formerly an unauthorized fee demanded by the old prisoners of a newcomer. [Cant] --Fielding.

Garnish bolt (Carp.), a bolt with a chamfered or faceted head. --Knight.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Garnish \Gar"nish\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Garnished; p. pr. & vb. n. Garnishing.]

[OE. garnischen, garnissen, OF. garnir to provide, strengthen, prepare, garnish, warn, F. garnir to provide, furnish, garnish, -- of German origin; cf. OHG. warn[=o]n to provide, equip; akin to G. wahren to watch, E. aware, ware, wary, and cf. also E. warn. See Wary, -ish, and cf. Garment, Garrison.]

1. To decorate with ornamental appendages; to set off; to adorn; to embellish.

All within with flowers was garnished. --Spenser.

2. (Cookery) To ornament, as a dish, with something laid about it; as, a dish garnished with parsley.

3. To furnish; to supply.

4. To fit with fetters. [Cant] --Johnson.

5. (Law) To warn by garnishment; to give notice to; to garnishee. See Garnishee, v. t. --Cowell.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)