polish

UK: 'Polish': /ˈpəʊlɪʃ/; 'polish': /ˈpɒlɪʃ/

US: /ˈpɑlɪʃ/

US: 'Polish': (pō′lish); 'polish': (pol′ish)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

pol•ish /ˈpɑlɪʃ/   v. 

1. to make smooth, shiny, and glossy, esp. by rubbing:
   [~ + object] She polished her shoes.
2. to make (something) complete, perfect, or elegant:
   [~ + object] She stayed up late to polish her speech.
3. polish off, to finish or dispose of quickly: [~ + off + object]
   to polish off a gallon of ice cream.
   [~ + object + off]
   The ice cream? They polished it off last night.
4. polish up, to improve;
   make perfect;
   refine: [~ + up + object]
   to polish up his French.
   [~ + object + up]
   to polish his Italian up by visiting Florence.

n. 

5. a substance used to give smoothness or gloss:
   [uncountable] shoe polish.
   [countable] the polishes and waxes.
6. the act of polishing:
   [countable] She gave the silver a good polish.
7. [uncountable] smoothness of a surface.
8. perfection;
   refinement;
   elegance:
   [uncountable] He behaves with such polish and good manners.

pol•ish•er, n. [countable] See -poli-.

Po•lish /ˈpoʊlɪʃ/   adj. 

1. of or relating to Poland.
2. of or relating to the language spoken in Poland.

n. [uncountable]
3. the language spoken in Poland.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pol•ish  (pol′ish), v.t. 

1. to make smooth and glossy, esp. by rubbing or friction:
   to polish a brass doorknob.
2. to render finished, refined, or elegant:
   His speech needs polishing.

v.i. 

3. to become smooth and glossy through polishing:
   a flooring that polishes easily.
4. [Archaic.] to become refined or elegant.
5. polish off, [Informal.]
   • to finish or dispose of quickly:
     They polished off a gallon of ice cream between them.
   • to subdue or get rid of someone:
     The fighter polished off his opponent in the first round.
6. polish up, to improve;
   refine:
   She took lessons to polish up her speech.

n. 

7. a substance used to give smoothness or gloss:
   shoe polish.
8. the act of polishing.
9. state of being polished.
10. smoothness and gloss of surface.
11. superiority of manner or execution;
    refinement;
    elegance:
    the polish of a professional singer.

• Latin polīre to polish; see -ish²
• Middle French poliss-, long stem of polir
• Middle English polishen 1250–1300

pol′ish•er, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. shine, brighten, burnish, buff, smooth.
• 10. shine, gleam.
  Polish, gloss, luster, sheen refer to a smooth, shining, or bright surface from which light is reflected.
  Polish suggests the smooth, bright reflection often produced by friction:
  rubbed to a high polish.
  Gloss suggests a superficial, hard smoothness characteristic of lacquered, varnished, or enameled surfaces:
  a gloss on oilcloth, on paper.
  Luster denotes the characteristic quality of the light reflected from the surfaces of certain materials (pearls, silk, wax, freshly cut metals, etc.):
  a pearly luster.
  Sheen, sometimes poetical, suggests a glistening brightness such as that reflected from the surface of silk or velvet, or from furniture oiled and hand-polished:
  a rich velvety sheen.

Po•lish  (pō′lish), adj. 

1. Language Varieties, Place Names of, pertaining to, or characteristic of Poland, its inhabitants, or their language.

n. 

2. Language Varieties a Slavic language, the principal language of Poland. Abbr.: Pol

• Pole + -ish¹ 1695–1705

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

polish / ˈpɒlɪʃ/ verb

1. to make or become smooth and shiny by rubbing, esp with wax or an abrasive
2. (transitive) to make perfect or complete
3. to make or become elegant or refined

noun

1. a finish or gloss
2. the act of polishing or the condition of having been polished
3. a substance used to produce a smooth and shiny, often protective surface
4. elegance or refinement, esp in style, manner, etc

Etymology: 13th Century polis, from Old French polir, from Latin polīre to polish

ˈpolisher noun

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Polish / ˈpəʊlɪʃ/ adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Poland, its people, or their language

noun

1. the official language of Poland, belonging to the West Slavonic branch of the Indo-European family