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