gloss

1 [glos, glaws]
noun
1.
a superficial luster or shine; glaze: the gloss of satin.
2.
a false or deceptively good appearance.
3.
Also, glosser. a cosmetic that adds sheen or luster, especially one for the lips.
verb (used with object)
4.
to put a gloss upon.
5.
to give a false or deceptively good appearance to: to gloss over flaws in the woodwork.
00:10
Gloss is one of our favorite verbs.
So is absquatulate. Does it mean:
to chew (food) slowly and thoroughly.
to flee; abscond:

Origin:
1530–40; probably akin to Dutch gloos glowing, Middle High German glosen to glow, shine, Swedish dialect glysa to shine

gloss·less, adjective


1. See polish. 2. front, pretense.
Dictionary.com Unabridged

gloss

2 [glos, glaws]
noun
1.
an explanation or translation, by means of a marginal or interlinear note, of a technical or unusual expression in a manuscript text.
2.
a series of verbal interpretations of a text.
3.
a glossary.
4.
an artfully misleading interpretation.
verb (used with object)
5.
to insert glosses on; annotate.
6.
to place (a word) in a gloss.
7.
to give a specious interpretation of; explain away (often followed by over or away ): to gloss over a serious problem with a pat solution.
verb (used without object)
8.
to make glosses.

Origin:
1250–1300; (noun) Middle English glose (< Old French glose) < Medieval Latin glōsa, glōza < Greek glôssa word requiring explanation, literally, language, tongue; (v.) Middle English glosen < Medieval Latin glōssāre, derivative of glōsa; cf. gloze, reflecting OF pronunciation of verb

gloss·ing·ly, adverb


1. comment, annotation. 2. commentary, critique, exegesis, explication. 5. explain, interpret, analyze, explicate.

gloss-

variant of glosso- before a vowel: glossectomy.

gloss.

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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
gloss1 (ɡlɒs) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
1.  a.  lustre or sheen, as of a smooth surface
 b.  (as modifier): gloss paint
2.  a superficially attractive appearance
3.  See gloss paint
4.  a cosmetic preparation applied to the skin to give it a faint sheen: lip gloss
 
vb
5.  to give a gloss to or obtain a gloss
 
[C16: probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Icelandic glossi flame, Middle High German glosen to glow]
 
'glosser1
 
n
 
'glossless1
 
adj

gloss2 (ɡlɒs) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
1.  a short or expanded explanation or interpretation of a word, expression, or foreign phrase in the margin or text of a manuscript, etc
2.  an intentionally misleading explanation or interpretation
3.  short for glossary
 
vb
4.  to add glosses to
 
[C16: from Latin glōssa unusual word requiring explanatory note, from Ionic Greek]
 
'glosser2
 
n
 
'glossingly2
 
adv

gloss.
 
abbreviation for
glossary

glosso- or (before a vowel) gloss-
 
combining form
indicating a tongue or language: glossolaryngeal
 
[from Greek glossa tongue]
 
gloss- or (before a vowel) gloss-
 
combining form
 
[from Greek glossa tongue]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

gloss
"luster," 1538, from Scand. (cf. Icelandic glossi "flame," related to glossa "to flame"), or obsolete Du. gloos "a glowing," from M.H.G. glos.

gloss
"word inserted as an explanation," 1548, gloze, from L. glossa "obsolete or foreign word," from Gk. glossa (Ionic), glotta (Attic) "obscure word, language," lit. "tongue." Extended sense of "explain away" is 1638, from idea of a note inserted in the margin of a text to explain a difficult word.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Abbreviations & Acronyms
GLOSS
Global Sea Level Observing System
gloss.
glossary
The American Heritage® Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
Time and place are compressed, and filmic conventions may gloss over details
  that have consumed your research hours.
Common grackles show a clear, abrupt division between the gloss color of the
  head and body.
Charges of corruption often figure prominently too, giving an otherwise ugly
  transfer of power a gloss of legitimacy.
Claiming that democracy supports such a decision only adds a mischievous gloss
  to an unjustifiable position.
Slang
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