Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Gloss
Gloss
(glŏs)
, Noun.
[Cf. Icel.
glossi
a blaze, glys
finery, MHG. glosen
to glow, G. glosten
to glimmer; perh. akin to E. glass
.] 1.
Brightness or luster of a body proceeding from a smooth surface; polish;
as, the
gloss
of silk; cloth is calendered to give it a gloss
.It is no part . . . to set on the face of this cause any fairer
gloss
than the naked truth doth afford. Hooker.
2.
A specious appearance; superficial quality or show.
To me more dear, congenial to my heart,
One native charm than all the
One native charm than all the
gloss
of art. Goldsmith.
Gloss
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Glossed
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Glossing
.] To give a superficial luster or gloss to; to make smooth and shining;
as, to
. gloss
clothThe
glossed
and gleamy wave. J. R. Drake.
Gloss
,Noun.
1.
A foreign, archaic, technical, or other uncommon word requiring explanation.
[Obs.]
2.
An interpretation, consisting of one or more words, interlinear or marginal; an explanatory note or comment; a running commentary.
All this, without a
He would unriddle in a moment.
gloss
or comment,He would unriddle in a moment.
Hudibras.
Explaining the text in short
glosses
. T. Baker.
3.
A false or specious explanation.
Dryden.
Gloss
(glŏs)
, Verb.
T.
1.
To render clear and evident by comments; to illustrate; to explain; to annotate.
2.
To give a specious appearance to; to render specious and plausible; to palliate by specious explanation.
You have the art to
gloss
the foulest cause. Philips.
Gloss
,Verb.
I.
1.
To make comments; to comment; to explain.
Dryden.
2.
To make sly remarks, or insinuations.
Prior.
Webster 1828 Edition
Gloss
GLOSS
,Noun.
1.
Brightness or luster of a body proceeding from a smooth surface; as the gloss of silk; cloth is calendared to give it a gloss.2.
A specious appearance or representation; external show that may mislead opinion. It is no part of my secret meaning to set on the face of this cause any fairer gloss than the naked truth doth afford.
3.
An interpretation artfully specious.4.
Interpretation; comment; explanation; remark intended to illustrate a subject. All this, without a gloss or comment,
He would unriddle in a moment.
Explaining the text in short glosses.
5.
A literal translation.GLOSS
,Verb.
T.
1.
To explain; to render clear and evident by comments; to illustrate.2.
To give a specious appearance to; to render specious and plausible; to palliate by specious representation. You have the art to gloss the foulest cause.
GLOSS
,Verb.
I.
1.
To make sly remarks.Definition 2024
gloss
gloss
English
Noun
gloss (countable and uncountable, plural glosses)
- (uncountable) A surface shine or luster/lustre
- (uncountable, figuratively) A superficially or deceptively attractive appearance
- Goldsmith
- To me more dear, congenial to my heart, / One native charm than all the gloss of art.
- 2013, Daniel Taylor, Danny Welbeck leads England's rout of Moldova but hit by Ukraine ban (in The Guardian, 6 September 2013)
- Hodgson may now have to bring in James Milner on the left and, on that basis, a certain amount of gloss was taken off a night on which Welbeck scored twice but barely celebrated either before leaving the pitch angrily complaining to the Slovakian referee.
- Goldsmith
Synonyms
- (surface shine): brilliance, gleam, luster/lustre, sheen, shine
- (superficially or deceptively attractive appearance): façade, front, veneer
Related terms
Translations
surface shine
superficially or deceptively attractive appearance
Verb
gloss (third-person singular simple present glosses, present participle glossing, simple past and past participle glossed)
- (transitive) To give a gloss or sheen to.
- (transitive) To make (something) attractive by deception
- (Can we date this quote?) Philips
- You have the art to gloss the foulest cause.
- (Can we date this quote?) Philips
- (intransitive) To become shiny.
Synonyms
- (give a gloss or sheen to): polish, shine
- (make (something) attractive by deception):
- (become shiny):
Translations
give a gloss or sheen to
make (something) attractive by deception
|
become shiny
|
Etymology 2
From Late Latin glossa (“obsolete or foreign word requiring explanation”), from Ancient Greek γλῶσσα (glôssa).
Noun
gloss (plural glosses)
- (countable) A brief explanatory note or translation of a foreign, archaic, technical, difficult, complex, or uncommon expression, inserted after the original, in the margin of a document, or between lines of a text.
- Hudibras
- All this, without a gloss or comment, / He would unriddle in a moment.
- Hudibras
- (countable) A glossary; a collection of such notes.
- (countable, obsolete) An expression requiring such explanatory treatment.
- (countable) An extensive commentary on some text.
- (countable) A brief explanation in speech or in a written work, including a synonym used with the intent of indicating the meaning of the word to which it is applied
- (countable, law, US) An interpretation by a court of specific point within a statute or case law
- 2007 Bruce R. Hopkins. The law of tax-exempt organizations. page 76
- Judicial Gloss on Test [section title]
- 1979 American Bar Foundation. Annotated code of professional responsibility. page ix
- This volume is thus not a narrowly defined treatment of the Code of Professional Responsibility but rather represents a "common law" gloss on it.
- 2007 Bruce R. Hopkins. The law of tax-exempt organizations. page 76
Synonyms
- (brief explanatory note or translation of a difficult or complex expression): explanation, note
- (glossary): glossary, lexicon
- (extensive commentary on some text): commentary, discourse, discussion
Related terms
Translations
brief explanatory note or translation of a difficult or complex expression
|
glossary — see glossary
extensive commentary on some text
|
Verb
gloss (third-person singular simple present glosses, present participle glossing, simple past and past participle glossed)
- (transitive) To add a gloss to (a text).