polish

¹pol·ish

verb \ˈpä-lish\

Definition of POLISH

transitive verb

1

: to make smooth and glossy usually by friction : burnish

2

: to smooth, soften, or refine in manners or condition

3

: to bring to a highly developed, finished, or refined state : perfect

intransitive verb

: to become smooth or glossy by or as if by friction

— pol·ish·er noun

Examples of POLISH

1. He spent the summer polishing his math skills.
2. <you'll need to polish your shoes with a clean rag before the performance>

Origin of POLISH

Middle English polisshen, from Anglo-French poliss-, stem of polir, from Latin polire

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to POLISH

Synonyms

buff, burnish, dress, furbish, gloss, grind, rub, shine, smooth, smoothen

Related Words

sleek, slick; coat, glaze, japan, lacquer, varnish; face, finish, veneer; brighten; file, rasp, sand, sandblast, sandpaper, scour, scrape, scrub; bob, bone, lap

Near Antonyms

rough (up), roughen, ruffle, scuff (up)

²polish

noun

Definition of POLISH

1

a : a smooth glossy surface : luster

b : freedom from rudeness or coarseness : culture

c : a state of high development or refinement

2

: the action or process of polishing

3

: a preparation that is used to produce a gloss and often a color for the protection and decoration of a surface <furniture polish> <nail polish>

Examples of POLISH

1. I need more shoe polish.
2. Did you use a wax polish on the table or an oil-based one?
3. The movie has the polish we've come to expect from that director.
4. He's rude and lacks polish.

First Known Use of POLISH

1679

Related to POLISH

Synonyms

accomplishment, civilization, couth, cultivation, culture, refinement

Antonyms

barbarianism, barbarism, philistinism

Related Words

education, erudition, intellectualism, intellectuality, knowledge, learning, literacy, scholarship; cosmopolitanism, sophistication, urbanity; breeding, genteelness, gentility, manners; class, elegance, grace, taste; civility, courteousness, courtesy, politeness

Near Antonyms

ignorance, illiteracy; parochialism, provincialism, rusticity, unsophistication; boorishness, churlishness, clownishness, coarseness, crudeness, vulgarity

¹Pol·ish

adjective \ˈpō-lish\

Definition of POLISH

: of, relating to, or characteristic of Poland, the Poles, or Polish

Origin of POLISH

Pole

First Known Use: 1592

Other Language Terms

cognate, collocation, homonym

²Polish

noun

Definition of POLISH

: the Slavic language of the Poles

First Known Use of POLISH

1671

Other Language Terms

cognate, collocation, homonym