Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Polish
Pol′ish
,Adj.
[From
Pole
a Polander.] Of or pertaining to Poland or its inhabitants.
– Noun.
The language of the Poles.
Pol′ish
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Polished
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Polishing
.] 1.
To make smooth and glossy, usually by friction; to burnish; to overspread with luster;
as, to
polish
glass, marble, metals, etc.2.
Hence, to refine; to wear off the rudeness, coarseness, or rusticity of; to make elegant and polite;
as, to
. polish
life or mannersMilton.
To polish off
, to finish completely, as an adversary.
[Slang]
W. H. Russell.
Pol′ish
,Verb.
I.
To become smooth, as from friction; to receive a gloss; to take a smooth and glossy surface;
as, steel
. polishes
wellBacon.
Pol′ish
,Noun.
1.
A smooth, glossy surface, usually produced by friction; a gloss or luster.
Another prism of clearer glass and better
polish
. Sir I. Newton.
2.
Anything used to produce a gloss.
3.
Fig.: Refinement; elegance of manners.
This Roman
polish
and this smooth behavior. Addison.
Webster 1828 Edition
Polish
PO'LISH
,Adj.
Definition 2024
Polish
Polish
See also: polish
English
Alternative forms
- (abbreviation): Pl.
Adjective
Polish (not comparable)
- Of, from or native to Poland, or relating to the Polish language.
Derived terms
Translations
of Poland or its language
|
|
Proper noun
Polish
- The language spoken in Poland.
Translations
the language of Poland
|
|
See also
- Pole
- Wikibooks:Polish language course
- Wiktionary's coverage of Polish terms
- Appendix:Polish Swadesh list for a Swadesh list of basic vocabulary words in Polish
polish
polish
See also: Polish
English
Noun
polish (countable and uncountable, plural polishes)
- A substance used to polish.
- A good silver polish will remove tarnish easily.
- Cleanliness; smoothness, shininess.
- The floor was waxed to a high polish.
- Refinement; cleanliness in performance or presentation.
- The lecturer showed a lot of polish at his last talk.
Synonyms
- (substance): wax
- (smoothness, shininess): finish, sheen, shine, shininess, smoothness
- (cleanliness in performance or presentation): class, elegance, panache, refinement, style
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
substance used to polish
cleanliness; smoothness; shininess
cleanliness in performance or presentation
See also
- apple-polish
- French polish
- furniture polish
- glacial polish
- nail polish
- polish remover
- shoe polish
- spit and polish
- stove polish
- varnish polish
Verb
polish (third-person singular simple present polishes, present participle polishing, simple past and past participle polished)
- (transitive) To shine; to make a surface very smooth or shiny by rubbing, cleaning, or grinding.
- He polished up the chrome until it gleamed.
-
(transitive) To refine; remove imperfections from.
- The band has polished its performance since the last concert.
- 1699, William Temple, Heads designed for an essay on conversations
- Study gives strength to the mind; conversation, grace: the first apt to give stiffness, the other suppleness: one gives substance and form to the statue, the other polishes it.
- (transitive) To apply shoe polish to shoes.
- (intransitive) To become smooth, as from friction; to receive a gloss; to take a smooth and glossy surface.
- Steel polishes well.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Francis Bacon to this entry?)
- (transitive) To refine; to wear off the rudeness, coarseness, or rusticity of; to make elegant and polite.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Milton to this entry?)
Synonyms
- (to make smooth and shiny by rubbing): wax, shine, buff, furbish, burnish, smooth, bone
- (refine): hone, perfect, refine
Derived terms
- polishable
- polished
- polisher
- polishing
- polishment
- polishure
- repolish
- unpolish
Related terms
Translations
to refine; improve imperfections from
to apply shoe polish
See also
- interpolish
- polish off
- polish up, polish up on