polish

1. verb

1)

I polished his shoes

Syn:

shine, wax, buff, rub up/down; gloss, burnish; varnish, oil, glaze, lacquer, japan, shellac

2)

polish up your essay

Syn:

perfect, refine, improve, hone, enhance; brush up, revise, edit, correct, rewrite, go over, touch up; informal clean up

2. noun

1)

furniture polish

Syn:

wax, glaze, varnish; lacquer, japan, shellac

2)

a good surface polish

Syn:

shine, gloss, luster, sheen, sparkle, patina, finish

3)

his polish made him stand out

Syn:

sophistication, refinement, urbanity, suaveness, elegance, style, grace, finesse, cultivation, civility, gentility, breeding, courtesy, (good) manners; informal class

•

- polish off

••

polish, gloss, luster, sheen

All of these words refer to a smooth, shining, or bright surface that reflects light. If this surface is produced by rubbing or friction, the correct word is polish (the car's mirrorlike polish was the result of regular waxing and buffing). Gloss, on the other hand, suggests the hard smoothness associated with lacquered, varnished, or enameled surfaces (a high-gloss paint). Luster is associated with the light reflected from the surfaces of certain materials, such as silk or pearl (a green stone with a brilliant luster). Sheen describes a glistening or radiant brightness that is also associated with specific materials (her hair had a rich, velvety sheen).