Word Study
shellac
CIDE DICTIONARY
shellac, n. [Shell + lac a resinous substance; cf. D. shellak, G. schellack.].
- Lac which has been reduced to a thin crust. See the Note under 2d Lac. [1913 Webster]
- A solution of shellac{1} in alcohol or other volatile solvent, used as a varnish. [PJC]
- A phonograph record, made of a material containing shellac; -- no longer manufactured. [PJC]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
shellac, n. & v.
--n. lac resin melted into thin flakes and used for making varnish (cf. LAC(1)).
--v.tr. (shellacked, shellacking)
1 varnish with shellac.
2 US sl. defeat or thrash soundly.
--n. lac resin melted into thin flakes and used for making varnish (cf. LAC(1)).
--v.tr. (shellacked, shellacking)
1 varnish with shellac.
2 US sl. defeat or thrash soundly.
Etymology
SHELL + LAC, transl. F laque en {eacute}cailles lac in thin plates
THESAURUS
shellac
apply paint, beat, bedaub, bedizen, begild, besmear, blank, brush on paint, bulldoze, calcimine, clobber, coat, color, complexion, cover, cream, dab, daub, deep-dye, defeat utterly, dip, distemper, double-dye, drub, dye, emblazon, enamel, engild, face, fast-dye, fresco, gild, glaze, gloss, grain, hue, illuminate, imbue, ingrain, japan, lacquer, lambaste, lay on color, lick, overbear, overwhelm, paint, parget, paste, pigment, prime, schmear, shade, shadow, shut out, skunk, slop on paint, smear, smother, snow under, stain, steamroller, stipple, thrash, tinct, tincture, tinge, tint, tone, trim, undercoat, varnish, wash, whelm, whitewash, whomp, whopFor further exploring for "shellac" in Webster Dictionary Online