polish

• POS: Adjective, Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: pol=ish

CIDE DICTIONARY

polish, a. [From Pole a Polander.].

 Of or pertaining to Poland or its inhabitants.  [1913 Webster]

polish, v. t. [F. polir, L. polire. Cf. Polite, -ish].

•  To make smooth and glossy, usually by friction; to burnish; to overspread with luster; as, to polish glass, marble, metals, etc.  [1913 Webster]
•  Hence, to refine; to wear off the rudeness, coarseness, or rusticity of; to make elegant and polite; as, to polish life or manners.  Milton.  [1913 Webster]

To polish off, to finish completely, as an adversary. [Slang] W. H. Russell.

polish, v. i. 

 To become smooth, as from friction; to receive a gloss; to take a smooth and glossy surface; as, steel polishes well.  Bacon.  [1913 Webster]

polish, n. 

•  A smooth, glossy surface, usually produced by friction; a gloss or luster.  [1913 Webster]

  "Another prism of clearer glass and better polish."  [1913 Webster]
•  Anything used to produce a gloss.  [1913 Webster]
•  Fig.: Refinement; elegance of manners.  [1913 Webster]

  "This Roman polish and this smooth behavior."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

polish, adj. & n.
--adj.
1 of or relating to Poland.
2 of the Poles or their language.
--n. the language of Poland.

Idiom

Polish notation Math. a system of formula notation without brackets and punctuation.

Etymology

POLE + -ISH(1)

polish, v. & n.
--v.
1 tr. & intr. make or become smooth or glossy by rubbing.
2 (esp. as polished adj.) refine or improve; add finishing touches to.
--n.
1 a substance used for polishing.
2 smoothness or glossiness produced by friction.
3 the act or an instance of polishing.
4 refinement or elegance of manner, conduct, etc.

Idiom

polish off finish (esp. food) quickly. polish up revise or improve (a skill etc.).

Derivative

polishable adj. polisher n.

Etymology

ME f. OF polir f. L polire polit-

THESAURUS

polish

Atticism, abradant, abrasive, acculturation, acquired taste, aluminum oxide, ameliorate, appreciation of excellence, appropriateness, auto polish, beautify, better, breeding, brighten, brighten up, brightness, brilliance, brush up, buff, bump off, burnish, chasteness, chastity, choiceness, civility, civilization, civilized taste, civilizedness, clarity, classicalism, classicism, clean, clearness, colcothar, comeliness, con, conclude, consume, correct, correctness, corundum, crocus, cultivate, cultivated taste, cultivation, culture, daintiness, delicacy, destroy, develop, dignity, directness, discrimination, dispatch, dispose of, distinction, do away with, do in, dress, ease, eat, education, elaborate, elegance, elegancy, eliminate, embellish, emend, emery, emery board, emery paper, enculturation, end, enhance, enlightenment, evolve, excellence, fastidiousness, felicitousness, felicity, file, finesse, finish, fittingness, fix, flow, flowing periods, fluency, freshen, furbish, furbish up, garnet, genteelness, gentility, gentlemanlikeness, gentlemanliness, gentleness, glance, glaze, gleam, glint, gloss, glow, good breeding, good taste, grace, gracefulness, gracility, graciosity, graciousness, improve, kill, ladylikeness, lawn-roller, learn, limpidity, liquidate, lucidity, luster, mature, mend, murder, nail file, naturalness, neatness, niceness, nicety, oil, patina, pellucidity, perfect, perspicuity, plainness, polish off, polish up, polishes, propriety, pumice, pumice stone, purity, put away, quality, radiance, rasp, refine, refinement, renovate, repair, restraint, retouch, review, revive, ripen, roller, rottenstone, rouge, round, rub, rub out, rub up, sand, sandblast, sandpaper, scour, scrub, season, seemliness, sheen, shine, shoe polish, silicon carbide, silver polish, simplicity, slay, sleek, sleeker, slick, slick down, slicker, smooth, smoother, smoothness, socialization, sophistication, sparkle, spruce, spruce up, straightforwardness, study, subtlety, taste, tastefulness, terminate, terseness, tone up, touch up, unaffectedness, vamp, vamp up, varnish, wax, wolf down

ROGET THESAURUS

polish

Improvement

VB improve, be better, become better, get better, mend, amend, advance, ascend, increase, fructify, ripen, mature, pick up, come about, rally, take a favorable turn, turn over a new leaf, turn the corner, raise one's head, sow one's wild oats, recover, be better, be improved by, turn to right account, turn to good account, turn to best account, profit by, reap the benefit of, make good use of, make capital out of, place to good account, render better, improve, mend, amend, better, ameliorate, meliorate, correct, decrassify, improve upon, refine upon, rectify, enrich, mellow, elaborate, fatten, promote, cultivate, advance, forward, enhance, bring forward, bring on, foster, invigorate, touch up, rub up, brush up, furbish up, bolster up, vamp up, brighten up, warm up, polish, cook, make the most of, set off to advantage, prune, repair, put in order, review, revise, make corrections, make improvements, doctor, purify, relieve, refresh, infuse new blood into, recruit, reform, remodel, reorganize, new model, view in a new light, think better of, appeal from Philip drunk to Philip sober, palliate, mitigate, lessen an evil.

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.

VB be beautiful, shine, beam, bloom, become one, set off, grace, render beautiful, beautify, polish, burnish, gild, set out, snatch a grace beyond the reach of art.

Ornament

N ornament, floridness c, adj, turgidity, turgescence, altiloquence, declamation, teratology, well-rounded periods, elegance, orotundity, inversion, antithesis, alliteration, paronomasia, figurativeness, flourish, flowers of speech, flowers of rhetoric, frills of style, euphuism, euphemism, big-sounding words, high-sounding words, macrology, sesquipedalia verba, Alexandrine, inflation, pretension, rant, bombast, fustian, prose run mad, fine writing, sesquipedality, Minerva press, phrasemonger, euphuist, euphemist, ornament, beautified, ornate, florid, rich, flowery, euphuistic, euphemistic, sonorous, high-sounding, big-sounding, inflated, swelling, tumid, turgid, turgescent, pedantic, pompous, stilted, orotund, high flown, high flowing, sententious, rhetorical, declamatory, grandiose, grandiloquent, magniloquent, altiloquent, sesquipedal, sesquipedalian, Johnsonian, mouthy, bombastic, fustian, frothy, flashy, flaming, antithetical, alliterative, figurative, artificial, ore rutundo, ornament, ornamentation, ornamental art, ornature, ornateness, adornment, decoration, embellishment, architecture, jewelry, garnish, polish, varnish, French polish, veneer, japanning, lacquer, gilding, plating, ormolu, enamel, cloisonn_e, cosmetics (in general), makeup, eye shadow, rouge, face powder, lipstick, blush, pattern, diaper, powdering, paneling, graining, pargeting, detail, repousse (convexity), texture, richness, tracery, molding, fillet, listel, strapwork, coquillage, flourish, fleur-de-lis, arabesque, fret, anthemion, egg and tongue, egg and dart, astragal, zigzag, acanthus, cartouche, pilaster, bead, beading, champleve ware, cloisonne ware, frost work, Moresque, Morisco, tooling, embroidery, brocade, brocatelle, galloon, lace, fringe, trapping, border, edging, trimming, hanging, tapestry, arras, millinery, ermine, drap d'or, wreath, festoon, garland, chaplet, flower, nosegay, bouquet, posy, daisies pied and violets blue, tassel knot, shoulder knot, apaulette, epaulet, aigulet, frog, star, rosette, bow, feather, plume, pompom, panache, aigrette, finery, frippery, gewgaw, gimcrack, tinsel, spangle, clinquant, pinchbeck, paste, excess of ornament, gaud, pride, illustration, illumination, vignette, fleuron, head piece, tail piece, cul-de-lampe, flowers of rhetoric, work of art, ornamented, beautified, ornate, rich, gilt, begilt, tesselated, festooned, champleve, cloisonne, topiary, smart, gay, trickly, flowery, glittering, new gilt, new spangled, fine as a Mayday queen, fine as a fivepence, fine as a carrot fresh scraped, pranked out, bedight, well-groomed, in full dress, dressed to kill, dressed to the nines, dressed to advantage, in Sunday best, en grand tenue, en grande toilette, in best bib and tucker, endimanche, showy, flashy, gaudy, garish, gairish, gorgeous, ornamental, decorative, becoming.

VB ornament, overlay with ornament, overcharge, smell of the lamp, ornament, embellish, enrich, decorate, adorn, bead, beautify, adonize, smarten, furbish, polish, gild, varnish, whitewash, enamel, japan, lacquer, paint, grain, garnish, trim, dizen, bedizen, prink, prank, trick out, fig out, deck, bedeck, dight, bedight, array, begawd, titivate, dress, dress up, spangle, bespangle, powder, embroider, work, chase, emboss, fret, emblazon, illuminate, illustrate, become.

Taste

N taste, good taste, refined taste, cultivated taste, delicacy, refinement, fine feeling, gust, gusto, tact, finesse, nicety, to prepon, polish, elegance, grace, judgment, discernment, dilettantism, dilettanteism, virtu, fine art, culture, cultivation, aesthetics, man of taste, connoisseur, judge, critic, conoscente, virtuoso, amateur, dilettante, Aristarchus, Corinthian, arbiter elegantiarum, stagirite, euphemist, caviare to the general, in good taste, cute, tasteful, tasty, unaffected, pure, chaste, classical, attic, cultivated, refined, dainty, esthetic, aesthetic, artistic, elegant, euphemistic, to one's taste, to one's mind, after one's fancy, comme il faut, tire a quatre epingles, elegantly, nihil tetigit quod non ornavit, chacun a son gout, oculi pictura tenentur aures cantibus, taste, flavor, gust, gusto, savor, gout, relish, sapor, sapidity, twang, smack, smatch, aftertaste, tang, tasting, degustation, gustation, palate, tongue, tooth, stomach, sapid, saporific, gustable, gustatory, gustful, strong, gamy, palatable.

Courtesy

N courtesy, respect, good manners, good behavior, good breeding, manners, politeness, bienseance, urbanity, comity, gentility, breeding, polish, presence, civility, civilization, amenity, suavity, good temper, good humor, amiability, easy temper, complacency, soft tongue, mansuetude, condescension, affability, complaisance, pr_evenance, amability, gallantry, pink of politeness, pink of courtesy, compliment, fair words, soft words, sweet words, honeyed phrases, ceremonial salutation, reception, presentation, introduction, accueil, greeting, recognition, welcome, abord, respects, devoir, regards, remembrances, kind regards, kind remembrances, love, best love, duty, empty encomium, flattering remark, hollow commendation, salaams, obeisance, bow, courtesy, curtsy, scrape, salaam, kotow, kowtow, bowing and scraping, kneeling, genuflection, obsequiousness, capping, shaking hands grip of the hand, embrace, hug, squeeze, accolade, loving cup, vin d'honneur, pledge, love token, kiss, buss, salute, mark of recognition, nod, nods and becks and wreathed smiles, valediction, condolence, courteous, polite, civil, mannerly, urbane, well-behaved, well- mannered, well-bred, well-brought up, good-mannered, polished, civilized, cultivated, refined, gentlemanlike, gallant, on one's good behavior, fine spoken, fair spoken, soft-spoken, honey-mouthed, honey- tongued, oily, bland, obliging, conciliatory, complaisant, complacent, obsequious, ingratiating, winning, gentle, mild, good-humored, cordial, gracious, affable, familiar, neighborly, diplomatic, tactful, politic, artful, courteously, with a good grace, with open arms, with outstretched arms, a bras ouverts, suaviter in modo, in good humor, Int, hail!, welcome!, well met!, ave!, all hail!, good day, good morrow!, Godspeed!, pax vobiscum!, may your shadow never be less!, Tien de plus estimable que la ceremonie, the very pink of courtesy.

VB be courteous, show courtesy, mind one's P's and Q's, behave oneself, be all things to all men, conciliate, speak one fair, take in good part, make the amiable, do the amiable, look as if butter would not melt in one's mouth, mend one's manners, receive, do the honors, usher, greet, hail, bid welcome, welcome, welcome with open arms, shake hands, hold out the hand, press the hand, squeeze the hand, press the flesh, bid Godspeed, speed the parting guest, cheer, serenade, salute, embrace, kiss, kiss hands, drink to, pledge, hob and nob, move to, nod to, smile upon, uncover, cap, touch the hat, take off the hat, doff the cap, present arms, make way for, bow, make one's bow, make a leg, scrape, curtsy, courtesy, bob a curtsy, bob a courtesy, kneel, bow the knee, bend the knee, visit, wait upon, present oneself, pay one's respects, pay a visit, dance attendance on, pay attentions to, do homage to, prostrate oneself, give one's duty to, send one's duty to render polite, polish, civilize, humanize.

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, 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.

VB smooth, smoothen, plane, file, mow, shave, level, roll, macadamize, polish, burnish, calender, glaze, iron, hot-press, mangle, lubricate.

Friction

VB rub, scratch, scrape, scrub, slide, fray, rasp, graze, curry, scour, polish, rub out, wear down, gnaw, file, grind, set one's teeth on edge, rosin.