polish
gb/pˈɑlɪʃ/ us/pˈɑlɪʃ/
A2
Inglés
~ 4900
Acepciones
0 acepciones
Verbo
A2
action
1
Make smooth and shiny by rubbing
To make something smooth and bright by rubbing it.
Patrón de uso:
to polish [something]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes confuse 'polish' with 'clean'; cleaning removes dirt, but polishing makes something smooth and shiny.
Sinónimos
buff (Often used for polishing surfaces like shoes or cars, with a slightly more casual tone.)
Antónimos
scratch (Damages the surface instead of making it smooth and shiny.)
Colocaciones
polish shoes
|polish furniture
|polish silver
|polish glass
Temas
daily life
|cleaning
|crafts
|daily_life
|housing
Ejemplos
- She spent the afternoon polishing the silverware.
- I need to polish my shoes before the meeting.
- He polished the wooden table until it gleamed.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- I polish my shoes every week.
- She polishes the table with a soft cloth.
- We polish the car on Sundays.
Sustantivo
A2
entity
2
Substance for making surfaces shiny
A cream or liquid that makes things smooth and bright.
Error frecuente:
Learners may confuse 'polish' (noun) with 'polish' (verb) in sentences; word order helps identify the meaning.
Sinónimos
wax (A type of polish, especially for wood or cars.)
Antónimos
abrasive (A substance that wears away surfaces instead of smoothing them.)
Colocaciones
shoe polish
|furniture polish
|nail polish
Temas
daily life
|cleaning
|daily_life
|housing
Ejemplos
- This shoe polish will protect the leather.
- She bought a new furniture polish for the dining table.
- Nail polish comes in many colors.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- I use shoe polish to make my shoes look new.
- We need more furniture polish.
- Her nail polish is red.
Verbo
B2
action
3
Improve quality or attractiveness
To make something better and more perfect.
Patrón de uso:
to polish [something]
Error frecuente:
Learners may not realize this meaning is figurative; it does not involve making something physically shiny.
Sinónimos
refine (Focuses on making small improvements for higher quality.)
Antónimos
ruin (To damage or spoil something instead of improving it.)
Colocaciones
polish an essay
|polish a speech
|polish skills
Temas
communication
|arts
|education
|work
Ejemplos
- She spent hours polishing her presentation.
- You should polish your resume before applying for jobs.
- The director polished the script until it was perfect.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- I polished my letter before sending it.
- He polishes his speech before the show.
- We polished our plan to make it better.
Sustantivo
B2
property
4
Refinement or elegance in style
A smooth and stylish quality in how someone looks or acts.
Error frecuente:
Learners may confuse this with the verb 'to polish'; here it means elegance, not physical shining.
Sinónimos
sophistication (Implies cultural knowledge and refinement.)
Antónimos
crudity (Lack of refinement or sophistication.)
Colocaciones
social polish
|professional polish
Temas
appearance
|personality
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- Her speech had the polish of a seasoned politician.
- The restaurant's decor had an urban polish.
- He lacks the social polish needed for diplomacy.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- Her dress has polish and style.
- He speaks with polish in public.
- The room has polish and beauty.
adjective
A2
property
5
From or relating to Poland
About Poland, its people, or its language.
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes confuse 'Polish' (adjective) with 'polish' (verb/noun); capitalization is key.
Sinónimos
Polonian (Less common term relating to Polish diaspora communities.)
Antónimos
non-Polish (Not related to Poland or its people.)
Colocaciones
Polish culture
|Polish language
Temas
geography
|culture
|core_vocabulary
|travel
Ejemplos
- She is studying Polish history.
- They enjoy Polish cuisine.
- The Polish flag is white and red.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- I like Polish food.
- He speaks Polish very well.
- Warsaw is a Polish city.
Gramática
Forma de diccionario
polish
AFI
GB/pˈɑlɪʃ/
US/pˈɑlɪʃ/
Sílabas y acento
pol - ish (2 sílabas)
Stress on 1st syllable (pol)
Formas de la palabra
Noun
- Base: polish
- Plural: polish, polishes
Verb
- Base: polish
- 3rd Person Singular: polishes
- Present Participle: polishing
- Past: polished
Familia de palabras
Forms
Related words
polisher
noun
Negative and opposite forms
unpolished
adjective
Expresiones
polish off
1/pˈoʊlɪʃ ˈɔf/
phrasal verb
informal
Finish quickly and completely
To finish something fast, especially food or work.
Ejemplos
- He polished off the cake in minutes.
- We polished off the last chapter before lunch.
polish up on
1/pˈoʊlɪʃ ˈʌp ˈɔn/
phrasal verb
Improve skill through practice/review
To practice or study something again so you are better at it.
Ejemplos
- I need to polish up on my Spanish before the trip.
- She polished up on her computer skills for the job interview.
put the final polish on [something]
1/pˈʊt ðə fˈaɪnəl pˈɑlɪʃ ˈɔn sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
Make final improvements before completion
To make small changes to make something perfect before it is finished.
Ejemplos
- Let's put the final polish on the report before we send it.
- The editor put the final polish on the manuscript.