The property of being smooth and shiny.

synonyms: burnish, gloss, glossiness.

Roget 894: courtesy; respect etc. 928; good manners, good behavior, good breeding; manners; politeness etc. adj.; bienseance, urbanity, comity, gentility, breeding, polish, presence; civility, civilization; amenity, suavity; good temper, good humor; amiability, easy temper, complacency, soft tongue, mansuetude; condescension etc. (humility) 879; 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 etc. (reverence) 928; bow, courtesy, curtsy, scrape, salaam, kotow^†, kowtow, bowing and scraping; kneeling; genuflection etc. (worship) 990; obsequiousness etc. 886; capping, shaking hands, etc. v.; grip of the hand, embrace, hug, squeeze, accolade, loving cup, vin d'honneur [Fr.], pledge; love token etc. (endearment) 902; kiss, buss, salute.    mark of recognition, nod; nods and becks and wreathed smiles" [Milton]; valediction etc. 293; condolence etc. 915.    ... show more

Roget 847: ornament, ornamentation, ornamental art; ornature^†, ornateness; adornment, decoration, embellishment; architecture; jewelry etc. 847.1. [surface coatings for wood: list] garnish, polish, varnish, French polish, veneer, japanning, lacquer.    [surface coatings for metal] gilding, plating, ormolu, enamel, cloisonn_e.    [surface coatings for human skin] cosmetics (in general), makeup; [Makeup list], eye shadow, rouge, face powder, lipstick, blush.    [ornamental surface pattern: list] pattern, diaper, powdering, paneling, graining, pargeting^†; detail; repousse (convexity) 250; texture etc. 329; richness; tracery, molding, fillet, listel^†, strapwork^†, coquillage [Fr.], flourish, fleur-de-lis [Fr.], arabesque, fret, anthemion^†; egg and tongue, egg and dart; astragal^†, zigzag, acanthus, cartouche; pilaster etc. (projection) 250; bead, beading; champleve ware [Fr.], cloisonne ware; frost work, Moresque [Lat.], Morisco, tooling.    [ornamental cloth] embroidery; brocade, brocatelle^†, galloon, lace, fringe, trapping, border, edging, trimming; hanging, tapestry, arras; millinery, ermine; drap d'or [Fr.].    wreath, festoon, garland, chaplet, flower, nosegay, bouquet, posy, daisies pied and violets blue," tassel, [Love's Labor's Lost], 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 etc. (vulgarity) 851; gaud, pride.    [ornamentation of text] illustration, illumination, vignette.    fleuron^†; head piece [Fr.], tail piece [Fr.]; cul-de-lampe [Fr.]; flowers of rhetoric etc. 577; work of art.    ... show more

Roget 845: beauty, the beautiful, to kalon [Gr.], le beau ideal.    [Science of the perception of beauty] aesthetics, callaesthetics^†.    [-beauty of people] pulchritude, form, elegance, grace, beauty unadorned, natural beauty; symmetry etc. 242; comeliness, fairness etc. adj.; 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 [Fr.], style.    Venus, Aphrodite^†, Hebe, the Graces, Peri, Houri, Cupid, Apollo^†, Hyperion, Adonis^†, Antionous^†, Narcissus.    peacock, butterfly; garden; flower of, pink of; bijou; jewel etc. (ornament) 847; work of art.    flower, flow'ret gay^†; [flowers: list] 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 etc. 829.    beautifying; landscaping, landscape gardening; decoration etc. 847; calisthenics^†.    [person who is beautiful] beauty; hunk (of men). ... show more

Roget 255: smoothness etc. adj.; polish, gloss; lubricity, lubrication.    [smooth materials] down, velvet, velure, silk, satin; velveteen, velour, velours, velumen^†; glass, ice.    slide; bowling green etc. (level) 213; asphalt, wood pavement, flagstone, flags.    [objects used to smooth other objects] 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.    [art of cutting and polishing gemstones] lapidary.    [person who polishes gemstones] lapidary, lapidarian.    ... show more

Dutch: glans, glos, glosse
Polish: połyskliwość

A highly developed state of perfection; having a flawless or impeccable quality:
— They performed with great polish.

synonyms: cultivation, culture, finish, refinement.

Roget 850: taste; good taste, refined taste, cultivated taste; delicacy, refinement, fine feeling, gust, gusto, tact, finesse; nicety etc. (discrimination) 465; to prepon [Gr.]; polish, elegance, grace.    judgment, discernment etc. 465.    dilettantism, dilettanteism; virtu; fine art; culture, cultivation.    [Science of taste] aesthetics.    man of taste &c.; connoisseur, judge, critic, conoscente, virtuoso, amateur, dilettante, Aristarchus^†, Corinthian, arbiter elegantiarum [Lat.], stagirite^†, euphemist.    caviare to the general" [Hamlet]. ... show more

Polish: kultura

A preparation used in polishing.

Dutch: poets, glans, poetsmiddel, glansmiddel

The Slavic language of Poland.

Dutch: Pools
Polish: polszczyzna, język polski

Make (a surface) shine:
— Polish my shoes.

synonyms: shine, smooth, smoothen.

Roget 847: 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 etc. (accord with) 23.    ... show more

Roget 894: be courteous etc. adj.; show courtesy etc. n.. 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 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 etc. (endearment) 902; 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 etc. (sociability) 892; dance attendance on etc. (servility) 886; pay attentions to; do homage to etc. (respect) 928.    prostrate oneself etc. (worship) 990.    give one's duty to, send one's duty to, etc. n.. render polite etc. adj.; polish, civilize, humanize.    ... show more

Roget 331: rub, scratch, scrape, scrub, slide, fray, rasp, graze, curry, scour, polish, rub out, wear down, gnaw; file, grind etc. (reduce to powder) 330.    set one's teeth on edge; rosin.    ... show more

Roget 255: smooth, smoothen^†; plane; file; mow, shave; level, roll; macadamize; polish, burnish, calender^†, glaze; iron, hot-press, mangle; lubricate etc. (oil) 332.    ... show more

Roget 845: be beautiful etc. adj.; shine, beam, bloom; become one etc. (accord) 23; set off, grace.    render beautiful etc. adj.; beautify; polish, burnish; gild etc. (decorate) 847; set out.    snatch a grace beyond the reach of art" [Pope]. ... show more

Dutch: oppoetsen, poetsen, slijpen

Improve or perfect by pruning or polishing.

synonyms: down, fine-tune, refine.

Bring to a highly developed, finished, or refined state:
— Polish your social manners.

synonyms: brush up, polish up, round, round off.

Roget 658: improve; be better, become better, get better; mend, amend.    advance etc. (progress) 282; ascend etc. 305; increase etc. 35; 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 etc. 660.    be better etc. adj., 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 etc. 707; invigorate etc. (strengthen) 159.    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 etc. (restore) 660; put in order etc. (arrange) 60.    review, revise; make corrections, make improvements etc. n.; doctor etc. (remedy) 662; purify, etc. 652.    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 etc. 36.    ... show more

Dutch: polijsten, verfijnen

Of or relating to Poland or its people or culture.

Polish: nowopolski