polish

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• intransitive verb To make smooth and shiny by rubbing or chemical action.
• intransitive verb To remove the outer layers from (grains of rice) by rotation in drums.
• intransitive verb To refine or remove flaws from; perfect or complete.
• intransitive verb To become smooth or shiny by being rubbed.
• noun Smoothness or shininess of surface or finish.
• noun A substance containing chemical agents or abrasive particles and applied to smooth or shine a surface.
• noun The act or process of polishing.
• noun Elegance of style or manners; refinement.

from The Century Dictionary.

• Pertaining to Poland, a country of Europe, or to its inhabitants.
• noun The language of the Poles.
• noun Same as Polish checkers.
• noun A highly ornamental breed of the domestic hen, characterized especially by the large globular crest, and in most varieties having also a full muff or beard.
• noun Smoothness of surface, produced either by friction or by the application of some varnish, or by both means combined.
• noun A substance used to give smoothness or to help in giving smoothness to any surface. See French polish, varnish-polish, etc., below.
• noun Smoothness; regularity; elegance; refinement; especially, elegance of style or manners.
• noun A liquid application prepared by dissolving gum-shellac in alcohol, or an imitation of this. It is applied with a sponge or rag, and the surface is then rubbed very thoroughly, the operation being usually repeated two or three times.
• noun The paste by which such a polish is produced.
• To make smooth and glossy, as a surface of marble, wood, etc., whether by rubbing or by coating with varnish, etc., or in both ways.
• Figuratively, to render smooth, regular, uniform, etc.; remove roughness, inelegance, etc., from; especially, to make elegant and polite.
• To beat; chastise; punish.
• Synonyms To burnish, furbish, brighten, rub up.
• To civilize.
• To become smooth; receive a gloss; take a smooth and glossy surface.
• Figuratively, to become smooth, regular, uniform, elegant, or polite.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

• adjective Of or pertaining to Poland or its inhabitants.
• transitive verb To make smooth and glossy, usually by friction; to burnish; to overspread with luster
• transitive verb Hence, to refine; to wear off the rudeness, coarseness, or rusticity of; to make elegant and polite.
• transitive verb [Slang] to finish completely, as an adversary.
• intransitive verb To become smooth, as from friction; to receive a gloss; to take a smooth and glossy surface.
• noun A smooth, glossy surface, usually produced by friction; a gloss or luster.
• noun Anything used to produce a gloss.
• noun Fig.: Refinement; elegance of manners.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

• noun A substance used to polish.
• noun Cleanliness; smoothness, shininess.
• noun Refinement; cleanliness in performance or presentation.
• verb transitive To shine; to make a surface very smooth or shiny by rubbing, cleaning, or grinding.
• verb transitive To refine; remove imperfections from.
• verb transitive To apply shoe polish to shoes.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

• verb bring to a highly developed, finished, or refined state
• noun a preparation used in polishing
• verb make (a surface) shine
• noun the Slavic language of Poland
• verb improve or perfect by pruning or polishing
• noun a highly developed state of perfection; having a flawless or impeccable quality
• adjective of or relating to Poland or its people or culture
• noun the property of being smooth and shiny