gloss

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

gloss, n. [Cf. Icel. glossi a blaze, glys finery, MHG. glosen to glow, G. glosten to glimmer; perh. akin to E. glass.].

•  Brightness or luster of a body proceeding from a smooth surface; polish; as, the gloss of silk; cloth is calendered to give it a gloss.  [1913 Webster]

  "It is no part . . . to set on the face of this cause any fairer gloss than the naked truth doth afford."  [1913 Webster]
•  A specious appearance; superficial quality or show.  [1913 Webster]

  "To me more dear, congenial to my heart,
  One native charm than all the gloss of art."  [1913 Webster]

gloss, v. t. 

 To give a superficial luster or gloss to; to make smooth and shining; as, to gloss cloth.  [1913 Webster]
"The glossed and gleamy wave."  [1913 Webster]

gloss, n. [OE. glose, F. glose, L. glossa a difficult word needing explanation, fr. Gr. tongue, language, word needing explanation. Cf. Gloze, Glossary, Glottis.].

•  A foreign, archaic, technical, or other uncommon word requiring explanation.  [1913 Webster]
•  An interpretation, consisting of one or more words, interlinear or marginal; an explanatory note or comment; a running commentary.  [1913 Webster]

  "All this, without a gloss or comment,
  He would unriddle in a moment."  [1913 Webster]

  "Explaining the text in short glosses."  [1913 Webster]
•  A false or specious explanation.  Dryden.  [1913 Webster]

gloss, v. t. 

•  To render clear and evident by comments; to illustrate; to explain; to annotate.  [1913 Webster]
•  To give a specious appearance to; to render specious and plausible; to palliate by specious explanation.  [1913 Webster]

  "You have the art to gloss the foulest cause."  [1913 Webster]

gloss, v. i. 

•  To make comments; to comment; to explain.  Dryden.  [1913 Webster]
•  To make sly remarks, or insinuations.  Prior.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

gloss, n. & v.
--n.
1 a surface shine or lustre. b an instance of this; a smooth finish.
2 a deceptively attractive appearance. b an instance of this.
3 (in full gloss paint) paint formulated to give a hard glossy finish (cf. MATT).
--v.tr. make glossy.

Idiom

gloss over
1 seek to conceal beneath a false appearance.
2 conceal or evade by mentioning briefly or misleadingly.

Derivative

glosser n.

gloss, n. & v.
--n.
1 a an explanatory word or phrase inserted between the lines or in the margin of a text. b a comment, explanation, interpretation, or paraphrase.
2 a misrepresentation of another's words.
3 a a glossary. b an interlinear translation or annotation.
--v.
1 tr. a add a gloss or glosses to (a text, word, etc.). b read a different sense into; explain away.
2 intr. (often foll. by on) make (esp. unfavourable) comments.
3 intr. write or introduce glosses.

Derivative

glosser n.

Etymology

alt. of GLOZE after med.L glossa

THESAURUS

gloss

abuse of terms, acting, affectation, afterglow, air glow, alibi, allowance, amplification, analysis, annotate, annotation, apology, apparatus criticus, appearance, apply paint, attitudinizing, bedaub, bedizen, begild, belie, besmear, bilingual text, biographical dictionary, blind, bluff, bluffing, brightness, brush on paint, buff, burnish, butter, calcimine, camouflage, candescence, catachresis, cheating, chemical dictionary, clavis, cloak, coat, color, coloring, comment, comment upon, commentary, commentate, commentation, complexion, conceal, contort, contorting, cover, cover story, cover up, cover-up, creamy, crib, critical review, criticism, criticize, critique, cursoriness, dab, daub, deception, decipherment, decoding, decontamination, deep-dye, define, definition, delicate, delusion, desk dictionary, device, dialect dictionary, dictionary, dictionary of quotations, dip, disguise, dissemblance, dissembling, dissimulation, distemper, distort, distortion, double-dye, dress up, dye, edit, editorial, eggshell, eisegesis, electronics dictionary, elucidate, elucidation, embellish, emblazon, embroider, enamel, engild, epidermis, error, etymological dictionary, excuse, exegesis, explain, explanation, explicate, explication, extenuating circumstances, extenuation, extenuative, exteriority, facade, face, faithful translation, fakery, faking, false air, false appearance, false front, false show, falsify, falsity, fast-dye, feigning, feint, finish, flat, flush, footnote, foreign-language dictionary, four-flushing, fraud, free translation, fresco, front, fudge, furbish, garble, garbling, gazetteer, general dictionary, geological dictionary, get one wrong, get wrong, gild, gilding, gilt, glance, glaze, gleam, glint, gloss, gloss over, glossary, glossiness, glow, gradus, grain, guise, handle, hide, hue, humbug, humbuggery, illuminate, imbue, imposture, incandescence, ingrain, interlinear, interlinear translation, interpret, interpretation, iridescent, japan, key, lacquer, lame excuse, lay on, lay on color, leader, leading article, lexicon, light, locus standi, loose translation, luster, make an edition, malentendu, malobservation, mask, masquerade, mellow, mere scratch, meretriciousness, metaphrase, misapplication, misapply, misapprehend, misapprehension, miscitation, miscite, miscolor, misconceive, misconception, misconstruction, misconstrue, misdeem, misexplain, misexplanation, misexplicate, misexplication, misexposition, misexpound, misintelligence, misinterpret, misinterpretation, misjudge, misjudgment, misquotation, misquote, misread, misreading, misrender, misrendering, misreport, misrepresent, misstate, mistake, mistranslate, mistranslation, misunderstand, misunderstanding, misuse of words, mitigation, mother-of-pearl, nacreous, no depth, no water, nomenclator, notation, note, note of explanation, notice, onomasticon, opalescent, ostensible motive, ostentation, outward show, overstate, paint, pale, palliation, palliative, paraphrase, parget, pastel, patina, patinaed, pearly, perversion, pervert, phrase book, pigment, pinprick, playacting, polish, polyglot dictionary, pony, poor excuse, pose, posing, posture, pretense, pretension, pretext, prime, protestation, public motive, put-off, qualification, quiet, refuge, remark, remark upon, report, representation, restatement, review, rewording, rhyming dictionary, rind, rub, running commentary, sad, scholium, science dictionary, scour, scratch, screen, seeming, semblance, semigloss, shade, shadow, shallowness, sham, sheen, shellac, shine, shininess, shining light, shoaliness, show, silkiness, simple, simulacrum, simulation, skin, skylight, slang dictionary, slant, slap on, slather, sleek, sleekness, slick, slick down, slickness, slightness, slop on paint, smear, smear on, smoke screen, smooth over, sober, soft, soft-colored, soft-hued, softened, softening, somber, specialized dictionary, speciousness, spread on, spread with, squeeze, squeezing, stain, stalking-horse, stipple, strain, strain the sense, stratagem, subdued, subterfuge, subtle, sunset glow, superficiality, superficies, surface, sweet, synonym dictionary, synonymy, tar, tender, thesaurus, tinct, tincture, tinge, tint, titivate, tone, torture, torturing, transcription, translate, translation, transliteration, treasury of words, trick, trick out, triviality, trot, twist, twist the words, twisting, unabridged dictionary, undercoat, understate, varnish, veil, veneer, vocabulary, wash, wax, whitewash, whitewashing, window dressing, word of explanation, wordbook, wrench, wrenching, write-up

ROGET THESAURUS

gloss

Pretext

N pretext, pretense, pretension, plea, allegation, advocation, ostensible motive, ostensible ground, ostensible reason, phony reason, excuse, subterfuge, color, gloss, guise, cover, loop hole, starting hole, how to creep out of, salvo, come off, way of escape, handle, peg to hang on, room locus standi, stalking-horse, cheval de bataille, cue, pretense, put off, dust thrown in the eyes, blind, moonshine, mere pretext, shallow pretext, lame excuse, lame apology, tub to a whale, false plea, sour grapes, makeshift, shift, white lie, special pleading, soft sawder, ostensibly, alleged, apologetic, pretended, ostensibly, under color, under the plea, under the pretense of, under the guise of.

Beauty

N beauty, the beautiful, to kalon, le beau ideal, aesthetics, callaesthetics, pulchritude, form, elegance, grace, beauty unadorned, natural beauty, symmetry, comeliness, fairness, polish, gloss, good effect, good looks, belle tournure, trigness, bloom, brilliancy, radiance, splendor, gorgeousness, magnificence, sublimity, sublimification, concinnity, delicacy, refinement, charm, je ne sais quoi, style, Venus, Aphrodite, Hebe, the Graces, Peri, Houri, Cupid, Apollo, Hyperion, Adonis, Antionous, Narcissus, peacock, butterfly, garden, flower of, pink of, bijou, jewel, work of art, flower, flow'ret gay, wildflower, rose, lily, anemone, asphodel, buttercup, crane's bill, daffodil, tulip, tiger lily, day lily, begonia, marigold, geranium, lily of the valley, ranunculus, rhododendron, windflower, pleasurableness, beautifying, landscaping, landscape gardening, decoration, calisthenics, beauty, hunk (of men), beautiful, beauteous, handsome, gorgeous, pretty, lovely, graceful, elegant, prepossessing, attractive, delicate, dainty, refined, fair, personable, comely, seemly, bonny, good-looking, well-favored, well-made, well-formed, well- proportioned, proper, shapely, symmetrical, harmonious, sightly, fit to be seen, passable, not amiss, goodly, dapper, tight, jimp, gimp, janty, jaunty, trig, natty, quaint, trim, tidy, neat, spruce, smart, tricksy, bright, bright eyed, rosy cheeked, cherry cheeked, rosy, ruddy, blooming, in full bloom, brilliant, shining, beamy, beaming, sparkling, splendid, resplendent, dazzling, glowing, glossy, sleek, rich, superb, magnificent, grand, fine, sublime, showy, specious, artistic, artistical, aesthetic, picturesque, pictorial, fait a peindre, well-composed, well grouped, well varied, curious, enchanting becoming, ornamental, undeformed, undefaced, unspotted, spotless, auxilium non leve vultus habet, beauty born of murmuring sound, flowers preach to us if we will hear, gratior ac pulchro veniens in corpore virtus, none but the brave deserve the fair, thou who hast the fatal gift of beauty.

Smoothness

N smoothness, polish, gloss, lubricity, lubrication, down, velvet, velure, silk, satin, velveteen, velour, velours, velumen, glass, ice, slide, bowling green, asphalt, wood pavement, flagstone, flags, roller, steam roller, lawn roller, rolling pin, rolling mill, sand paper, emery paper, emery cloth, sander, flat iron, sad iron, burnisher, turpentine and beeswax, polish, shoe polish, lapidary, lapidary, lapidarian, smooth, polished, leiodermatous, slick, velutinous, even, level, plane, sleek, glossy, silken, silky, lanate, downy, velvety, glabrous, slippery, glassy, lubricous, oily, soft, unwrinkled, smooth as glass, smooth as ice, smooth as monumental alabaster, smooth as velvet, smooth as oil, slippery as an eel, woolly, smooth as silk, slippery as coonshit on a pump handle, slippery as a greased pig.

Vindication

N vindication, justification, warrant, exoneration, exculpation, acquittal, whitewashing, extenuation, palliation, palliative, softening, mitigation, reply, defense, recrimination, apology, gloss, varnish, plea, salvo, excuse, extenuating circumstances, allowance, allowance to be made, locus paenitentiae, apologist, vindicator, justifier, defendant, justifiable charge, true bill, v, justify, warrant, be an excuse for, lend a color, furnish a handle, vindicate, exculpate, disculpate, acquit, clear, set right, exonerate, whitewash, clear the skirts of, extenuate, palliate, excuse, soften, apologize, varnish, slur, gloze, put a gloss, put a good face upon, mince, gloss over, bolster up, help a lame dog over a stile, advocate, defend, plead one's cause, stand up for, stick up for, speak up for, contend for, speak for, bear out, keep in countenance, support, plead, say in defense, plead ignorance, confess and avoid, propugn, put in a good word for, take the will for the deed, make allowance for, give credit for, do justice to, give one his due, give the Devil his due, make good, prove the truth of, prove one's case, be justified by the event, vindicated, vindicating, exculpatory, apologetic, excusable, defensible, pardonable, venial, veniable, specious, plausible, justifiable, honi sot qui mal y pense, good wine needs no bush.

Light

N light, ray, beam, stream, gleam, streak, pencil, sunbeam, moonbeam, aurora, day, sunshine, light of day, light of heaven, moonlight, starlight, sunlight, daylight, broad daylight, noontide light, noontide, noonday, noonday sun, glow, glimmering, glint, play of light, flood of light, phosphorescence, lambent flame, flush, halo, glory, nimbus, aureola, spark, scintilla, facula, sparkling, emication, scintillation, flash, blaze, coruscation, fulguration, flame, lightning, levin, ignis fatuus, luster, sheen, shimmer, reflexion, reflection, gloss, tinsel, spangle, brightness, brilliancy, splendor, effulgence, refulgence, fulgor, fulgidity, dazzlement, resplendence, transplendency, luminousness, luminosity, lucidity, renitency, nitency, radiance, radiation, irradiation, illumination, actinic rays, actinism, Roentgen-ray, Xray, photography, heliography, photometer, optics, photology, photometry, dioptrics, catoptrics, chiaroscuro, clairobscur, clear obscure, breadth, light and shade, black and white, tonality, reflection, refraction, dispersion, refractivity, shining, luminous, luminiferous, lucid, lucent, luculent, lucific, luciferous, light, lightsome, bright, vivid, splendent, nitid, lustrous, shiny, beamy, scintillant, radiant, lambent, sheen, sheeny, glossy, burnished, glassy, sunny, orient, meridian, noonday, tide, cloudless, clear, unclouded, unobscured, gairish, garish, resplendent, transplendent, refulgent, effulgent, fulgid, fulgent, relucent, splendid, blazing, in a blaze, ablaze, rutilant, meteoric, phosphorescent, aglow, bright as silver, light as day, bright as day, light as noonday, bright as noonday, bright as the sun at noonday, actinic, photogenic, graphic, heliographic, heliophagous, a day for gods to stoop and men to soar, dark with excessive bright.

Interpretation

N interpretation, definition, explanation, explication, solution, answer, rationale, plain interpretation, simple interpretation, strict interpretation, meaning, translation, rendering, rendition, redition, literal translation, free translation, key, secret, clew, clavis, crib, pony, trot, exegesis, expounding, exposition, hermeneutics, comment, commentary, inference, illustration, exemplification, gloss, annotation, scholium, note, elucidation, dilucidation, eclaircissement, mot d'enigme, symptomatology, semiology, semeiology, semiotics, metoposcopy, physiognomy, paleography, oneirology acception, acceptation, acceptance, light, reading, lection, construction, version, equivalent, equivalent meaning, synonym, paraphrase, metaphrase, convertible terms, apposition, dictionary, polyglot, explanatory, expository, explicative, explicatory, exegetical, construable, polyglot, literal, paraphrastic, metaphrastic, consignificative, synonymous, equivalent, in explanation, that is to say, id est, videlicet, to wit, namely, in other words, literally, strictly speaking, in plain, in plainer terms, in plainer words, in plainer English, more simply.

Untruth

N untruth, falsehood, lie, story, thing that is not, fib, bounce, crammer, taradiddle, whopper, jhuth, forgery, fabrication, invention, misstatement, misrepresentation, perversion, falsification, gloss, suggestio falsi, exaggeration, invention, fabrication, fiction, fable, nursery tale, romance, absurd story, untrue story, false story, trumped up story, trumped up statement, thing devised by the enemy, canard, shave, sell, hum, traveler's tale, Canterbury tale, cock and bull story, fairy tale, fake, claptrap, press agent's yarn, puff, puffery (exaggeration), myth, moonshine, bosh, all my eye and Betty Martin, mare's nest, farce, irony, half truth, white lie, pious fraud, mental reservation, pretense, pretext, false plea, subterfuge, evasion, shift, shuffle, make-believe, sham, profession, empty words, Judas kiss, disguise, untrue, false, phony, trumped up, void of foundation, without- foundation, fictive, far from the truth, false as dicer's oaths, unfounded, ben trovato, invented, fabulous, fabricated, forged, fictitious, factitious, supposititious, surreptitious, elusory, illusory, ironical, soi-disant, se non e vero e ben trovato, where none is meant that meets the ear.