01 a. Of or pertaining to Poland or its inhabitants.
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1.
Of or pertaining to Poland or its inhabitants.
Entry
7 senses · 4 variants
Webster, 1913
Polish
02 v. t. To make smooth and glossy, usually by friction; to burnish; to overspread with luster; as, to polish glass, marble, metals, etc.
imp. & p. p.
Polished; p. pr. & vb. n.
Polishing
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1.
To make smooth and glossy, usually by friction; to burnish; to overspread with luster; as, to polish glass, marble, metals, etc.
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2.
Hence, to refine; to wear off the rudeness, coarseness, or rusticity of; to make elegant and polite; as, to polish life or manners.
Phrases & compounds
To polish off —
to finish completely, as an adversary.
03 v. i. To become smooth, as from friction; to receive a gloss; to take a smooth and glossy surface; as, steel polishes well.
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1.
To become smooth, as from friction; to receive a gloss; to take a smooth and glossy surface; as, steel polishes well.
04 n. A smooth, glossy surface, usually produced by friction; a gloss or luster.
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1.
A smooth, glossy surface, usually produced by friction; a gloss or luster.“Another prism of clearer glass and better polish.” — Sir I. Newton.
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2.
Anything used to produce a gloss.
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3.
Fig.: Refinement; elegance of manners.“This Roman polish and this smooth behavior.” — Addison.