shellac

UK: /ʃəˈlæk/, /ˈʃɛlæk/ US: /ʃəˈlæk/ ,(shə lak′)

Inflections of 'shellac' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

shellacs

v 3rd person singular

shellacking

v pres p

shellacked

v past

shellacked

v past p

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

shel•lac or shel•lack /ʃəˈlæk/   n., v., -lacked, -lack•ing. 
n. 

1. a thin varnish:
   [uncountable] Before using shellac, you must sand the surface of wood.
   [countable] the cheapest brand of all the commercial shellacs.

v. [~ + object]

2. to coat or treat with shellac:
   to shellac the wood.
3. Slang Terms to defeat completely:
   Their basketball team shellacked us by nearly fifty points.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

shel•lac  (shə lak′), n., v., -lacked, -lack•ing. 
n. 

1. lac that has been purified and formed into thin sheets, used for making varnish.
2. a varnish (shellac′ var′nish) made by dissolving this material in alcohol or a similar solvent.
3. Sound Reproduction a phonograph record made of a breakable material containing shellac, esp. one to be played at 78 r.p.m.:
   an LP that can hold nearly 10 times as much as the old shellac.

v.t. 

4. to coat or treat with shellac.
5. Slang Terms
   • to defeat;
     trounce.
   • to thrash soundly.

Also, shel•lack′. 

• shell + lac¹, translation of French laque en écailles lac in thin plates 1705–15

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

shellac, shellack / ʃəˈlæk ˈʃɛlæk/ noun

1. a yellowish resin secreted by the lac insect, esp a commercial preparation of this used in varnishes, polishes, and leather dressings
2. Also called: shellac varnish a varnish made by dissolving shellac in ethanol or a similar solvent

verb ( -lacs, -lacking, -lacked)(transitive)

1. to coat or treat (an article) with a shellac varnish

Etymology: 18th Century: shell + lac¹, translation of French laque en écailles, literally: lac in scales, that is, in thin plates