shellac
shellac — noun
1. a hard, shiny material that comes from a tiny insect, melted into small flakes a
a hard, shiny material that comes from a tiny insect, melted into small flakes and mixed into a liquid to coat and protect wood.
The old craftsman brushed warm shellac over the oak table to give it a soft shine.
uncountable: brush/apply shellac over [wood surface]
Asher mixed orange flakes of shellac with alcohol to make his own wood polish.
collocation: flakes of shellac dissolved in alcohol
Feng spread a thin coat of shellac on the kitchen floor to keep it smooth and water-resistant.
The violin maker rubbed shellac onto the wood, and the bright grain slowly shone through.
用法筆記
Uncountable: refers both to the raw insect resin in flake form and to the liquid finish made from it.
2. a brand of nail colour that mixes gel with ordinary nail polish so that it stays
a brand of nail colour that mixes gel with ordinary nail polish so that it stays bright and unchipped for weeks.
Renata booked a salon visit to have shellac put on her nails before the wedding.
collocation: have shellac put on [your] nails
The shellac on Sofia's fingernails still looked glossy after three full weeks.
subject: shellac lasts/stays without chipping
At Sade's salon, shellac dries hard in two minutes under a small purple lamp.
Anjali painted a deep red shellac on her nails to match her party dress.
- gel polish
the general product category; Shellac is one trademarked brand of it
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this is a cosmetic brand name for a gel-based nail product, not the wood resin. Almost always seen in beauty and salon contexts.
shellac — verb
- shellacpresent simple I / you / we / they
- shellacs3rd person singular
- shellacking-ing form
- shellackedpast simple
1. to cover a wooden surface with a thin layer of this shiny resin so that it looks
to cover a wooden surface with a thin layer of this shiny resin so that it looks better and lasts longer.
Christopher shellacked the bookshelf twice so the cheap pine would look like polished wood.
transitive: shellac [a wooden object]
Before the sale, the dealer shellacked the antique chair to hide its scratches.
shellac + object for protection or appearance
Esme shellacked the wooden toy boat so it could float without soaking up water.
Ezra carefully shellacked a small pine picture frame until its surface gleamed like glass.
文法句型
shellac + object
用法筆記
Object is almost always a wooden item (furniture, floors, frames). The verb stresses the protective, glossy coating rather than mere painting.
2. to beat an opponent very easily and by a wide margin, especially in a game or co
to beat an opponent very easily and by a wide margin, especially in a game or contest.
The home team shellacked their rivals nine to one in front of a roaring crowd.
informal: shellac [an opponent] by a wide score
Niran shellacked his older brother at chess in barely twenty minutes.
shellac + object in a contest
Rania shellacked the reigning champion, winning all five rounds without losing a single point.
Our debate team got shellacked because we had barely practised our arguments.
文法句型
shellac + object
用法筆記
Informal American English, common in sports and games. The object is the loser; the subject wins decisively. Often used in the passive (get shellacked).