From Middle English polishen, from Old French poliss-, stem of some of the conjugated forms of polir, from Latin polīre (“to polish, make smooth”), from Proto-Indo-European *pelh₂- (“to drive, strike, thrust”), from the notion of fulling cloth.
Meanings
(countable, uncountable) A substance used to polish.
panache (cleanliness in performance or presentation) · refinement (cleanliness in performance or presentation) · sheen (smoothness, shininess) · style (cleanliness in performance or presentation) · finish (smoothness, shininess) · wax (substance) · shine (smoothness, shininess) · shininess (smoothness, shininess) · class (cleanliness in performance or presentation) · elegance (cleanliness in performance or presentation) · smoothness (smoothness, shininess)
Translations (71)
sv polityr (substance used to polish) · sv polish (cleanliness; smoothness; shininess) · ja 光沢 (cleanliness; smoothness; shininess) · sv polityr (cleanliness in performance or presentation) · bg блясък (cleanliness; smoothness; shininess) · bg лак (substance used to polish) · es abrillantador (substance used to polish) · fi selkeys (cleanliness in performance or presentation) · sv glans (cleanliness; smoothness; shininess) · it cera (substance used to polish) · de Glanz (cleanliness; smoothness; shininess) · bg лъскавина (cleanliness; smoothness; shininess) · da forfinelse (cleanliness in performance or presentation) · ja 清潔 (cleanliness; smoothness; shininess) · fi viimeistely (cleanliness in performance or presentation) · it lucentezza (cleanliness; smoothness; shininess) · pt polimento (cleanliness; smoothness; shininess) · es pulidor (substance used to polish) · cs leštidlo (substance used to polish) · gd lìomh (substance used to polish) · fr vernis (substance used to polish) · pt cera (substance used to polish) · eo poluro (cleanliness; smoothness; shininess) · de Politur (substance used to polish) · id poles (substance used to polish) · ja 清らか (cleanliness; smoothness; shininess) · sv putsmedel (substance used to polish) · ca poliment (substance used to polish) · it raffinatezza (cleanliness in performance or presentation) · bg гланц (substance used to polish) · nl poets (substance used to polish) · pl połysk (cleanliness; smoothness; shininess) · ga snas (cleanliness; smoothness; shininess) · es pulimento (substance used to polish) · ja 洗練 (cleanliness in performance or presentation) · sv polermedel (substance used to polish) · it levigatezza (cleanliness; smoothness; shininess) · nl glans (cleanliness; smoothness; shininess) · ja 艶 (cleanliness; smoothness; shininess) · da glathed (cleanliness; smoothness; shininess) · nl poetsmiddel (substance used to polish) · fi tasaisuus (cleanliness; smoothness; shininess) · pt polimento (cleanliness in performance or presentation) · da politur (substance used to polish) · da elegance (cleanliness in performance or presentation) · ja つや (cleanliness; smoothness; shininess) · ro pastă de lustruit (substance used to polish) · pl pasta do polerowania (substance used to polish) · es betún (substance used to polish) · da glans (cleanliness; smoothness; shininess) · ja 研磨剤 (substance used to polish) · fi kiillotusaine (substance used to polish) · hy լաք (substance used to polish) · ja 綺麗 (cleanliness; smoothness; shininess) · bg политура (substance used to polish) · de Schliff (cleanliness in performance or presentation) · pt graxa (substance used to polish) · da pudsecreme (substance used to polish) · fi (shininess) kiilto (cleanliness; smoothness; shininess) · fa پولیش (substance used to polish) · fi kiillote (substance used to polish) · ja 平坦 (cleanliness; smoothness; shininess) · fi tyyli (cleanliness in performance or presentation) · it brillantezza (cleanliness; smoothness; shininess) · ja 輝き (cleanliness; smoothness; shininess) · tr parlatma maddesi (substance used to polish) · it lucido (substance used to polish) · ja 平ら (cleanliness; smoothness; shininess) · it lucidità (cleanliness; smoothness; shininess) · eo polurilo (substance used to polish) · sv finess (cleanliness in performance or presentation)
From Middle English polishen, from Old French poliss-, stem of some of the conjugated forms of polir, from Latin polīre (“to polish, make smooth”), from Proto-Indo-European *pelh₂- (“to drive, strike, thrust”), from the notion of fulling cloth.
Meanings
(transitive) To shine; to make a surface very smooth or shiny by rubbing, cleaning, or grinding.
He polished up the chrome until it gleamed.
(transitive) To refine; remove imperfections from.
The band has polished its performance since the last concert.
Study gives strength to the mind; conversation, grace: the first apt to give stiffness, the other suppleness: one gives substance and form to the statue, the other polishes it. 1699, William Temple, Heads designed for an essay on conversations:
(transitive) To apply shoe polish to shoes.
(intransitive) To become smooth, as from friction; to receive a gloss; to take a smooth and glossy surface.
Steel polishes well.
The other [gold], whether it will polish so well Wherein for the latter [brass] it is probable it will a. 1626, Francis Bacon, Inquisitions touching the compounding of metals:
(transitive) To refine; to wear off the rudeness, coarseness, or rusticity of; to make elegant and polite.
Educated at private schools and polished at Cambridge 1971, Herb Spiers, “Maurice (review)”, in Body Politic, number 1, page 12:
Arts that polish Life. 1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
furbish (to make smooth and shiny by rubbing) · smooth (to make smooth and shiny by rubbing) · buff (to make smooth and shiny by rubbing) · perfect (refine) · bone (to make smooth and shiny by rubbing) · hone (refine) · shine (to make smooth and shiny by rubbing) · refine (refine) · burnish (to make smooth and shiny by rubbing) · wax (to make smooth and shiny by rubbing)
Translations (125)
io briligar (make a surface smooth or shiny) · it levigare (make a surface smooth or shiny) · sa घर्षति (make a surface smooth or shiny) · de polieren (make a surface smooth or shiny) · hy ողորկել (make a surface smooth or shiny) · ia polir (make a surface smooth or shiny) · da glatte (make a surface smooth or shiny) · es betunar (to apply shoe polish) · ja 研ぐ (make a surface smooth or shiny) · es pulimentar (make a surface smooth or shiny) · sv polera (make a surface smooth or shiny) · he מֵרֵק (make a surface smooth or shiny) · de wichsen (to apply shoe polish) · nl polijsten (make a surface smooth or shiny) · it smussare (to refine; improve imperfections from) · la poliō (make a surface smooth or shiny) · cs leštit (make a surface smooth or shiny) · es acicalar (to refine; improve imperfections from) · uk відшліфо́вувати (make a surface smooth or shiny) · hu fényez (make a surface smooth or shiny) · gl puír (to refine; improve imperfections from) · nv náyiishį́į́h (to apply shoe polish) · el λουστράρω (make a surface smooth or shiny) · vi đánh bóng (make a surface smooth or shiny) · mi whakapīrata (make a surface smooth or shiny) · fi kehittää (to refine; improve imperfections from) · es polir (make a surface smooth or shiny) · ru шлифова́ть (make a surface smooth or shiny) · hu políroz (make a surface smooth or shiny) · he צִחְצֵחַ (make a surface smooth or shiny) · ja 洗練する (to refine; improve imperfections from) · fi puunata (make a surface smooth or shiny) · uk пошліфува́ти (make a surface smooth or shiny) · it lustrare (make a surface smooth or shiny) · hy հղկել (make a surface smooth or shiny) · km បង្ខាត់ (make a surface smooth or shiny) · nl oppoetsen (to refine; improve imperfections from) · fi kiillottaa (make a surface smooth or shiny) · uk шліфува́ти (make a surface smooth or shiny) · km ពួត (make a surface smooth or shiny) · fi hioa (make a surface smooth or shiny) · he ליטש (to refine; improve imperfections from) · io cirajizar (to apply shoe polish) · fi lankata (make a surface smooth or shiny) · de perfektionieren (to refine; improve imperfections from) · es acicalar (make a surface smooth or shiny) · it levigare (to refine; improve imperfections from) · ja 磨く (make a surface smooth or shiny) · gl puír (make a surface smooth or shiny) · mi whakamahine (make a surface smooth or shiny) · es lustrar (to apply shoe polish) · it brillantare (make a surface smooth or shiny) · ar لَمَّعَ (make a surface smooth or shiny) · ca polir (to refine; improve imperfections from) · pl polerować (make a surface smooth or shiny) · ota مهرهلمك (make a surface smooth or shiny) · ca polir (make a surface smooth or shiny) · nl poetsen (make a surface smooth or shiny) · el γυαλίζω (make a surface smooth or shiny) · sv putsa (to refine; improve imperfections from) · it tirare a lucido (make a surface smooth or shiny) · sv putsa (make a surface smooth or shiny) · cmn 擦亮 (make a surface smooth or shiny) · ko 닦다 (make a surface smooth or shiny) · ru полирова́ть (make a surface smooth or shiny) · it perfezionare (to refine; improve imperfections from) · pt polir (make a surface smooth or shiny) · uk відшліфува́ти (make a surface smooth or shiny) · es aluciar (to refine; improve imperfections from) · tr mührelemek (make a surface smooth or shiny) · it lucidare (make a surface smooth or shiny) · gd lìomh (make a surface smooth or shiny) · ro lustrui (to apply shoe polish) · fa پولیش کردن (make a surface smooth or shiny) · nrf bliatchinner (to apply shoe polish) · pl wygładzać (make a surface smooth or shiny) · ia furbir (make a surface smooth or shiny) · es alcorzar (make a surface smooth or shiny) · io polisar (make a surface smooth or shiny) · fr polir (make a surface smooth or shiny) · bg лъскам (make a surface smooth or shiny) · ar صَقَل (to refine; improve imperfections from) · fi lankata (to apply shoe polish) · gd lìomh (to apply shoe polish) · es embetunar (to apply shoe polish) · es polir (to refine; improve imperfections from) · uk відполіро́вувати (make a surface smooth or shiny) · fi hioa (to refine; improve imperfections from) · uk полірува́ти (make a surface smooth or shiny) · es pulir (make a surface smooth or shiny) · bg лъскам (to apply shoe polish) · uk відполірува́ти (make a surface smooth or shiny) · ia lustrar (make a surface smooth or shiny) · uk пополірува́ти (make a surface smooth or shiny) · it lustrare (to apply shoe polish) · km ខាត់ (make a surface smooth or shiny) · da blanke (make a surface smooth or shiny) · mi whakamaheni (make a surface smooth or shiny) · ia lisiar (make a surface smooth or shiny) · bg полирам (make a surface smooth or shiny) · pl szlifować (to refine; improve imperfections from) · mi whakapiata (make a surface smooth or shiny) · nrf poli (make a surface smooth or shiny) · ro lustrui (make a surface smooth or shiny) · es lustrar (make a surface smooth or shiny) · gl lustrar (to apply shoe polish) · it lucidare (to apply shoe polish) · txb kānt- (make a surface smooth or shiny) · nb pusse (make a surface smooth or shiny) · da forfine (to refine; improve imperfections from) · es pulir (to refine; improve imperfections from) · nl oppoetsen (make a surface smooth or shiny) · eo poluri (make a surface smooth or shiny) · es aluciar (make a surface smooth or shiny) · sv polera (to refine; improve imperfections from) · hu kifényesít (make a surface smooth or shiny) · ro perfecționa (to refine; improve imperfections from) · da pudse (make a surface smooth or shiny) · fi parannella (to refine; improve imperfections from) · tr parlatmak (make a surface smooth or shiny) · fi kiillottaa kenkiä (to apply shoe polish) · nb polere (make a surface smooth or shiny) · pt polir (to refine; improve imperfections from) · he לִטֵּשׁ (to refine; improve imperfections from) · da polere (make a surface smooth or shiny)