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polish

   Also found in: Medical, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.01 sec.
pol·ish  (plsh)
v. pol·ished, pol·ish·ing, pol·ish·es
v.tr.
1. To make smooth and shiny by rubbing or chemical action.
2. To remove the outer layers from (grains of rice) by rotation in drums.
3. To free from coarseness; refine: polish one's manners.
4. To remove flaws from; perfect or complete: polish one's piano technique; polish up the lyrics.
v.intr.
1. To become smooth or shiny by or as if by being rubbed.
2. To become perfect or refined.
n.
1. Smoothness or shininess of surface or finish.
2. A substance containing chemical agents or abrasive particles and applied to smooth or shine a surface: shoe polish.
3. The act or process of polishing.
4. Elegance of style or manners; refinement.
Phrasal Verb:
polish off Informal
To finish or dispose of quickly and easily.

[Middle English polisshen, from Old French polir, poliss-, from Latin polre; see pel-5 in Indo-European roots.]

polish·er n.

polish
Verb
1. to make smooth and shiny by rubbing
2. to perfect or complete: media experts he had hired to polish his image
3. to make or become elegant or refined: not having polished his south London accent didn't help his career
Noun
1. a substance used for polishing
2. a shine or gloss
3. elegance or refinement [Latin polire to polish]

Polish
Adjective
of Poland
Noun
the language of Poland
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.polishpolish - the property of being smooth and shiny
smoothness - a texture without roughness; smooth to the touch; "admiring the slim smoothness of her thighs"; "some artists prefer the smoothness of a board"
radiancy, refulgence, refulgency, shine, effulgence, radiance - the quality of being bright and sending out rays of light
French polish - the glaze produced by repeated applications of French polish shellac
glaze - a glossy finish on a fabric
2.polish - a highly developed state of perfection; having a flawless or impeccable quality; "they performed with great polish"; "I admired the exquisite refinement of his prose"; "almost an inspiration which gives to all work that finish which is almost art"--Joseph Conrad
flawlessness, ne plus ultra, perfection - the state of being without a flaw or defect
3.polish - a preparation used in polishing
formulation, preparation - a substance prepared according to a formula; "the physician prescribed a commercial preparation of the medicine"
blacking, shoe polish - a substance used to produce a shiny protective surface on footwear
Simoniz - a brand of car polish
4.Polish - the Slavic language of Poland
Slavic, Slavic language, Slavonic, Slavonic language - a branch of the Indo-European family of languages
Verb1.polish - make (a surface) shine; "shine the silver, please"; "polish my shoes"
beautify, fancify, prettify, embellish - make more beautiful
Simonise, Simonize - polish with wax; "The motorcycle has been Simonized"
sleek, slick - make slick or smooth
burnish, furbish, buff - polish and make shiny; "buff the wooden floors"; "buff my shoes"
gloss - give a shine or gloss to, usually by rubbing
2.polish - improve or perfect by pruning or polishing; "refine one's style of writing"
ameliorate, improve, meliorate, amend, better - to make better; "The editor improved the manuscript with his changes"
over-refine, overrefine - refine too much or with excess of subtlety; "He is overrefining this matter"
civilise, civilize, school, cultivate, educate, train - teach or refine to be discriminative in taste or judgment; "Cultivate your musical taste"; "Train your tastebuds"; "She is well schooled in poetry"
3.polish - bring to a highly developed, finished, or refined state; "polish your social manners"
perfect, hone - make perfect or complete; "perfect your French in Paris!"
Adj.1.Polish - of or relating to Poland or its people or culture; "Polish sausage"

polish
polish someone off eliminate, take out (slang) get rid of, dispose of, do away with, blow away (slang), chiefly U.S. beat someone once and for all
polish something off (Informal) finish, down, shift (informal) wolf, consume, put away, eat up, swill
Translations
Spanish Polish [ˈpəulɪʃ] adjpolaco
n (LING) → polaco

polish [ˈpɔlɪʃ] n (for shoes) → betún m;
(for floor) → cera (de lustrar);
(for nails) → esmalte m (= shine); brillo, lustre m;
(fig) (= refinement); refinamiento
vt [+ shoes] → limpiar (= make shiny); pulir, sacar brillo a;
(fig) (= improve); perfeccionar, refinar
polish off vt [+ work] → terminar [+ food]; despachar
polish up vt [+ shoes, furniture etc] → limpiar, sacar brillo a;
(fig) [+ language]; perfeccionar

French Polish [ˈpəulɪʃ] adjpolonais(e)
n (Ling) → polonais m

polish [ˈpɔlɪʃ] n (for shoes) → cirage m;
(for floor) → cire f, encaustique f;
(for nails) → vernis m (= shine); éclat m, poli m (fig) (= refinement); raffinement m
vt (= put polish on) [+ shoes, wood] → cirer (= make shiny); astiquer, faire briller (fig) (= improve); perfectionner
polish off vt [+ work] → expédier [+ food]; liquider

German Polish [ˈpəulɪʃ] adjpolnisch
n (Ling) → Polnisch nt

polish [ˈpɔlɪʃ] n (for shoes) → Creme f;
(for furniture) → Politur f;
(for floors) → Bohnerwachs nt (= shine) (on shoes, floor etc) → Glanz m (fig) (= refinement); Schliff m
vt [+ shoes] → putzen [+ floor, furniture etc]; polieren
polish off polish vt [+ work] → erledigen [+ food]; verputzen

Italian Polish [ˈpəulɪʃ] adjpolacco/a
n (LING) → polacco

polish [ˈpɔlɪʃ] n (for shoes) → lucido;
(for floor) → cera;
(for nails) → smalto (= shine); lucentezza, lustro;
(fig) (= refinement); raffinatezza
vtlucidare;
(fig) (= improve); raffinare
polish off vt [+ work] → sbrigare [+ food]; mangiarsi

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my dear Glaucon, I said, how energetically you polish them up for the decision, first one and then the other, as if they were two statues.
My anxiety to be of service to you rushes into words; lays my meaning, in the rough, at your feet; and leaves your taste to polish it with the choicest ornaments of the English language.
The boy's intent gaze caused the Tin Woodman to remember that he was not in the most presentable condition, so he begged his friends to excuse him while he retired to his private apartment and allowed his servants to polish him.
 
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