Christmas tree

noun Christmas trees · Christmas's tree · X'mas tree · X-mas tree · Xmas tree

1. An evergreen tree (usually a conifer), or an artificial tree made to resemble this, which is typically decorated with lights and ornaments and often an angel or star at its tip, and used as a decoration during the Christmas holiday season. "I and your mother," he wrote, "sit in the evenings, and gild apples and nuts, because we intend to dress up a Christmas tree,[…]["]

   Similar: holiday tree, Yule tree

2. broadly, informal Something which is elaborately decorated. The modern infantryman is a Christmas tree of weaponry, with grenades and extra ammunition hanging from all parts of his upper body.
3. broadly A pattern of muscles visible in the lower back, resembling in outline the shape of a conifer. The V-bar pull-up is a great retro exercise I pulled from the Arnold [Schwarzenegger] & Franco Columbo^([sic – meaning Franco Columbu]) Golden Era bodybuilding days. […] These are great for really developing that Christmas tree in your lower back and the proper arch at the top is key in that regard.
4. broadly, slang A panel of indicator lights in an aircraft or a submarine. Farnsworth and Reed […] have reported on comparative reaction times to "Christmas tree" signal lights with respect to color deficiency. One of the most important color discriminations involved in the operation of a submarine is that of reading the "Christmas tree," a panel of 30 to 60 small jewel-sh
5. US, broadly, historical An alert area at an air base with aircraft parked in stubs arranged at a 45-degree angle to a central taxiway to enable them to move rapidly to a runway; these were constructed by the Strategic Air Command of the United States Air Force during the Cold War (generally 1947–1991). The existing ramp, the part that the B-52 used, a great amount of it was out in the alert area, on what we call a christmas tree^([sic]) stub at the end of the runway, in a dispersed posture.
6. broadly A pole with lights, similar to a traffic signal, used for signalling the start of an automobile race. Then, after a smoky-burnout to warm up the tires, you're lined up next to another competitor and the Christmas tree lights blink down … yellow, yellow, yellow, green!
7. broadly, slang A collection of gauges, valves, and other components installed at the top of wellhead to control the flow of gas or oil. Wellheads, which support downhole tubing, casing, and other components, are connected at the top of wells to Christmas trees, which control production rates and fluid flows out of the well and may also direct fluids and equipment into the well
8. broadly A 4-3-2-1 formation, with four defenders, three centre midfielders, two attacking midfielders and a striker in a triangular pattern. That or, in the name, something given a title to cover up the fact that all it was, was a football formation. But then the Christmas Tree came along.
9. broadly A Christmas party, especially one organized for (underprivileged) children by a charity, a school, etc. The Dennison Associates hold a Christmas Tree for Children and more than 300 little tots are entertained.
10. Australia Often with a descriptive word: any of several shrubs or trees native to Australia which bloom in summer at the end of the year around Christmastime, and so may be used as a Christmas decoration; especially the fire tree or moodjar (Nuytsia floribunda). SYDNEY CHRISTMAS-TREE [running head] […] The shrub chosen as the Sydney "Christmas" is well worthy of the honour […] The flowers, which are irregularly star-shaped, […] continue increasing in size, and gradually ripening in tint, becoming first a pearl white, then palest blush, then pink, rose-colou
11. New Zealand Synonym of pohutukawa (“a coastal evergreen tree, Metrosideros excelsa, native to New Zealand and producing a brilliant display of red flowers with prominent stamens around Christmastime”) Another interesting and characteristic tree confined to the province of Auckland is the pohutukawa (Metrosideros tomentosa) or Christmas tree of the settlers, so called from its blooming at the Christmas season and taking the place, in household decoration, of the berried mistletoe and holly.

    Similar: New Zealand Christmas tree, pohutukawa