spit and polish

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 Four years ago, Manchester native Unger and her family purchased Tuck Shop from DJ Fernandes, lending the popular Coronado joint a little European spit and polish, but largely leaving its homey, comfort food vibe intact. — Dominic Armato, azcentral, "What to know before you go to Josephine, Tuck Shop owner's new Roosevelt Row restaurant," 17 Jan. 2020 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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Cite this Entry

“Spit and polish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spit%20and%20polish. Accessed 10 Jul. 2020.

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