polish
gb/pˈɑlɪʃ/ us/pˈɑlɪʃ/
A2
Anglais
~ 4900
Sens
0 sens
Verbe
A2
action
1
Make smooth and shiny by rubbing
To make something smooth and bright by rubbing it.
Schéma d’usage :
to polish [something]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse 'polish' with 'clean'; cleaning removes dirt, but polishing makes something smooth and shiny.
Synonymes
buff (Often used for polishing surfaces like shoes or cars, with a slightly more casual tone.)
Antonymes
scratch (Damages the surface instead of making it smooth and shiny.)
Collocations
polish shoes
|polish furniture
|polish silver
|polish glass
Thèmes
daily life
|cleaning
|crafts
|daily_life
|housing
Exemples
- She spent the afternoon polishing the silverware.
- I need to polish my shoes before the meeting.
- He polished the wooden table until it gleamed.
Exemples pédagogiques
- I polish my shoes every week.
- She polishes the table with a soft cloth.
- We polish the car on Sundays.
Nom
A2
entity
2
Substance for making surfaces shiny
A cream or liquid that makes things smooth and bright.
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may confuse 'polish' (noun) with 'polish' (verb) in sentences; word order helps identify the meaning.
Synonymes
wax (A type of polish, especially for wood or cars.)
Antonymes
abrasive (A substance that wears away surfaces instead of smoothing them.)
Collocations
shoe polish
|furniture polish
|nail polish
Thèmes
daily life
|cleaning
|daily_life
|housing
Exemples
- This shoe polish will protect the leather.
- She bought a new furniture polish for the dining table.
- Nail polish comes in many colors.
Exemples pédagogiques
- I use shoe polish to make my shoes look new.
- We need more furniture polish.
- Her nail polish is red.
Verbe
B2
action
3
Improve quality or attractiveness
To make something better and more perfect.
Schéma d’usage :
to polish [something]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may not realize this meaning is figurative; it does not involve making something physically shiny.
Synonymes
refine (Focuses on making small improvements for higher quality.)
Antonymes
ruin (To damage or spoil something instead of improving it.)
Collocations
polish an essay
|polish a speech
|polish skills
Thèmes
communication
|arts
|education
|work
Exemples
- She spent hours polishing her presentation.
- You should polish your resume before applying for jobs.
- The director polished the script until it was perfect.
Exemples pédagogiques
- I polished my letter before sending it.
- He polishes his speech before the show.
- We polished our plan to make it better.
Nom
B2
property
4
Refinement or elegance in style
A smooth and stylish quality in how someone looks or acts.
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may confuse this with the verb 'to polish'; here it means elegance, not physical shining.
Synonymes
sophistication (Implies cultural knowledge and refinement.)
Antonymes
crudity (Lack of refinement or sophistication.)
Collocations
social polish
|professional polish
Thèmes
appearance
|personality
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- 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.
Exemples pédagogiques
- 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.
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse 'Polish' (adjective) with 'polish' (verb/noun); capitalization is key.
Synonymes
Polonian (Less common term relating to Polish diaspora communities.)
Antonymes
non-Polish (Not related to Poland or its people.)
Collocations
Polish culture
|Polish language
Thèmes
geography
|culture
|core_vocabulary
|travel
Exemples
- She is studying Polish history.
- They enjoy Polish cuisine.
- The Polish flag is white and red.
Exemples pédagogiques
- I like Polish food.
- He speaks Polish very well.
- Warsaw is a Polish city.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
polish
API
GB/pˈɑlɪʃ/
US/pˈɑlɪʃ/
Syllabes et accentuation
pol - ish (2 syllabes)
Stress on 1st syllable (pol)
Formes du mot
Noun
- Base: polish
- Plural: polish, polishes
Verb
- Base: polish
- 3rd Person Singular: polishes
- Present Participle: polishing
- Past: polished
Famille de mots
Forms
Related words
polisher
noun
Negative and opposite forms
unpolished
adjective
Expressions
polish off
1/pˈoʊlɪʃ ˈɔf/
phrasal verb
informal
Finish quickly and completely
To finish something fast, especially food or work.
Exemples
- 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.
Exemples
- 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.
Exemples
- Let's put the final polish on the report before we send it.
- The editor put the final polish on the manuscript.