decorate (someone) for (something)
To honor with an award for a special accomplishment or achievement, often one linked to heroism. The soldier who rescued his entire platoon was decorated for his valor in a ceremony earlier today. The president wants to personally decorate those officers for intervening in the aftermath of the earthquake. Without their efforts, the death toll would have been far higher. The mayor decorated our little girl for bravery after she called 911 when her grandmother started having a seizure.
decorate (something) with (something)
To embellish something by adding adornments to it, often for a particular occasion. I decorated the room with crepe paper and balloons for the birthday party. My little niece adorably decorated her card to me with lots of stickers. I can't believe you decorated every cupcake for the baby shower with fondant rattles—how adorable!
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
decorate someone for something
to award someone a medal or ribbon for doing something important or brave. The town decorated her for her heroic act. She was decorated for her heroism.
decorate something with something
to adorn or ornament something with something. I will decorate the cake with roses made of sugar. Can I decorate your car with streamers for the parade?
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.