spit and polish

noun

Definition of spit and polish

: extreme attention to cleanliness, orderliness, smartness of appearance, and ceremony often at the expense of operational efficiency

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Examples of spit and polish in a Sentence

All the car needs is some spit and polish.

Recent Examples on the Web

For the 2018 model year, the Range Rover Sport takes what Land Rover does well and puts another level of spit and polish on it. — Eric Bangeman, Ars Technica, "All SUV, all of the time: The Range Rover Sport reviewed," 12 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'spit and polish.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near spit and polish

spit and polish

spit and vinegar

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Time Traveler for spit and polish

The first known use of spit and polish was in 1895

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More Definitions for spit and polish

spit and polish

noun

English Language Learners Definition of spit and polish

informal : careful attention to making something clean and polished

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