polish
pol|ish /p'ɒlɪʃ/ (polishes polishing polished)
1 [N-MASS]
Polish is a substance that you put on the surface of an object in order to clean it, protect it, and make it shine.
The still air smelt faintly of furniture polish.
...soap powders, detergents, and polishes.
2 [VERB] V n
If you polish something, you put polish on it or rub it with a cloth to make it shine.
Each morning he shaved and polished his shoes...
[N-SING] a N
Polish is also a noun.
He gave his counter a polish with a soft duster.
● polished [ADJ]
...a highly polished floor.
3 [N-UNCOUNT]
If you say that someone has polish, you mean that they show confidence and know how to behave socially.
4 [N-UNCOUNT]
If you say that a performance or piece of work has polish, you mean that it is of a very high standard.
The opera lacks the polish of his later work.
5 [VERB] V n
If you polish your technique, performance, or skill at doing something, you work on improving it.
They just need to polish their technique.
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron)
Polish up means the same as polish.
Polish up your writing skills on a one-week professional course.
6
see also polished, French polish, French pol|ish
[N-UNCOUNT]
French polish is a type of varnish which is painted onto wood so that the wood has a hard shiny surface.nail pol|ish (nail polishes /n'eɪl pɒlɪʃ/)
[N-MASS]
Nail polish is a thick liquid that women paint on their nails.
= nail varnishpolish off
[PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V P n (not pron)
If you polish off food or drink, you eat or drink all of it, or finish it. (INFORMAL)
No matter what he is offered to eat he polishes it off in an instant...
He polished off his scotch and slammed the glass down.polish up
see polish 5
1 [N-MASS]
Polish is a substance that you put on the surface of an object in order to clean it, protect it, and make it shine.
The still air smelt faintly of furniture polish.
...soap powders, detergents, and polishes.
2 [VERB] V n
If you polish something, you put polish on it or rub it with a cloth to make it shine.
Each morning he shaved and polished his shoes...
[N-SING] a N
Polish is also a noun.
He gave his counter a polish with a soft duster.
● polished [ADJ]
...a highly polished floor.
3 [N-UNCOUNT]
If you say that someone has polish, you mean that they show confidence and know how to behave socially.
4 [N-UNCOUNT]
If you say that a performance or piece of work has polish, you mean that it is of a very high standard.
The opera lacks the polish of his later work.
5 [VERB] V n
If you polish your technique, performance, or skill at doing something, you work on improving it.
They just need to polish their technique.
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron)
Polish up means the same as polish.
Polish up your writing skills on a one-week professional course.
6
see also polished, French polish, French pol|ish
[N-UNCOUNT]
French polish is a type of varnish which is painted onto wood so that the wood has a hard shiny surface.nail pol|ish (nail polishes /n'eɪl pɒlɪʃ/)
[N-MASS]
Nail polish is a thick liquid that women paint on their nails.
= nail varnishpolish off
[PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V P n (not pron)
If you polish off food or drink, you eat or drink all of it, or finish it. (INFORMAL)
No matter what he is offered to eat he polishes it off in an instant...
He polished off his scotch and slammed the glass down.polish up
see polish 5