The act of decorating fabric with needlework; can also mean exaggerating or adding false details to a story.
Present participle of 'embroider,' formed by adding '-ing' to the base verb. The figurative meaning (to exaggerate) developed from the idea of 'adding ornamental details' to a narrative.
The metaphorical use—'embroidering the truth'—shows how craftspeople's language entered common speech; adding decorative stitches became synonymous with adding decorative lies.
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