polish
polish — verb
1. to rub the surface of an object with a cloth or brush so that it becomes clean a
to rub the surface of an object with a cloth or brush so that it becomes clean and bright
Caleb polished his old trumpet until it shone like gold.
polish + object + until-clause showing result
The museum guard polished the brass railings every morning before the doors opened.
Sofia's grandmother taught her how to polish silverware with a soft cloth.
Tuan spent the whole afternoon polishing the wooden floor of his new apartment.
You should polish your leather shoes before an important job interview.
- tarnish
makes a metal surface lose its shine, opposite of what polishing does
文法句型
polish + object
polish + object + [prep phrase]
用法筆記
Frequently used with an object that names a hard surface (shoes, floor, silver, brass, glass). The cloth or brush is usually introduced with the preposition 'with'.
常見錯誤
polish — noun
1. the action of rubbing the surface of something to clean it and make it shine
the action of rubbing the surface of something to clean it and make it shine
The old silver teapot needed a good polish before the dinner party.
need + a + polish
Minho gave his motorcycle a quick polish before the weekend ride.
give + object + a polish
Every month, a thorough polish keeps the oak dining table looking like new.
The kitchen floor could really use a polish after all the cooking today.
Christopher gave his boots a quick polish before going out in the rain.
文法句型
give + object + a polish
need + a polish
用法筆記
This sense is almost always used in the singular with an indefinite article: 'a polish'. Common verbs that introduce it are 'give', 'need', and 'have'.
2. a cream, liquid, or powder used to clean and shine the surface of an object
a cream, liquid, or powder used to clean and shine the surface of an object
Hamza bought a tin of shoe polish from the corner shop.
shoe polish / furniture polish / silver polish
This furniture polish leaves a pleasant smell of lemon in the room.
Lin found a good silver polish at the hardware store for cleaning old candlesticks.
Talia rubbed a small amount of polish onto the wooden cabinet door.
The department store sells a special polish for marble and stone surfaces.
文法句型
[noun modifier] + polish
用法筆記
Commonly preceded by a noun that names what it is used on: shoe polish, furniture polish, silver polish, floor polish. Countable when referring to a specific type or brand; uncountable when speaking generally.
常見錯誤
3. the quality of careful, skillful work that shows great attention to detail, espe
the quality of careful, skillful work that shows great attention to detail, especially in creative tasks such as writing or music
Élise admired the polish of the short story her brother wrote for his writing class.
the polish of + [creative work]
The film lacks the polish of the director's earlier work but is still entertaining.
lack + polish / show + polish
Tariro's speech had real polish — every sentence was clear and well-chosen.
The young pianist from a small village played with polish that surprised the experienced judges.
The editor helped the writer add some polish to the final draft of the novel.
- refinement
similar but implies sophisticated taste and education, not just technical skill
- elegance
focuses on grace and style rather than careful attention to detail
- finesse
implies delicate, subtle handling of a difficult task
文法句型
lack + polish
add + polish
show + polish
用法筆記
Uncountable — always used with singular verbs and no article. Often paired with 'lack' or 'add': 'Her writing lacks polish'; 'A good editor adds polish'.
常見錯誤
polish — noun
1. the language spoken by people from Poland
the language spoken by people from Poland
Arjun has been learning Polish for two years because his wife comes from Warsaw.
learn + language: learn Polish / study Polish
The signs at the airport were written in both English and Polish.
in + language: in Polish / in English
Tomás could understand a little Polish but could not speak it fluently.
The museum offered audio guides in Polish, German, and French.
Hari read a Polish novel translated into English for his book club.
文法句型
in + Polish
speak + Polish
用法筆記
Capitalised — always written with a capital P when referring to the language. Compare with 'polish' (lowercase) which means to make something shine.
常見錯誤
polish — adjective
1. belonging to or coming from Poland, or relating to its people, culture, or langu
belonging to or coming from Poland, or relating to its people, culture, or language
The Polish bakery on the corner sells the best apple cake in town.
Polish + noun for origin/culture
A Polish film won the top award at this year's international festival.
The chef from Warsaw taught us her family's traditional Polish dumpling recipe.
A group of Polish exchange students stayed with a host family in Chicago last summer.
At the festival the market sold pierogi, a classic Polish dumpling with various fillings.
文法句型
Polish + noun
用法筆記
Always capitalised. Capital P distinguishes this adjective from the verb 'polish' (to make something shine). This adjective has no comparative or superlative form — there is no 'more Polish' or 'most Polish'.