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wax - 15 dictionary results
wax
1
[waks] 
–noun
| 1. | Also called beeswax. a solid, yellowish, nonglycerine substance allied to fats and oils, secreted by bees, plastic when warm and melting at about 145°F, variously employed in making candles, models, casts, ointments, etc., and used by bees in constructing their honeycomb. |
| 2. | any of various similar substances, as spermaceti or the secretions of certain insects and plants. Compare vegetable wax, wax insect. |
| 3. | any of a group of substances composed of hydrocarbons, alcohols, fatty acids, and esters that are solid at ordinary temperatures. |
| 4. | cerumen; earwax. |
| 5. | a resinous substance used by shoemakers for rubbing thread. |
| 6. | sealing wax. |
| 7. | a person or object suggesting wax, as in manageability or malleability: I am helpless wax in your hands. |
–verb (used with object)
| 8. | to rub, smear, stiffen, polish, etc., with wax: to wax the floor. |
| 9. | to fill the crevices of (ornamental marble) with colored material. |
| 10. | Informal. to make a phonograph recording of. |
| 11. | Slang. to defeat decisively; drub: We waxed the competition. |
–adjective
—Idiom| 12. | pertaining to, made of, or resembling wax: a wax candle; a wax doll. |
| 13. | whole ball of wax, Slang.
|
Origin:
bef. 900; (n.) ME wex, waxe, OE weax; c. D was, G Wachs, ON vax; (v.) ME wexen, deriv. of the n.
bef. 900; (n.) ME wex, waxe, OE weax; c. D was, G Wachs, ON vax; (v.) ME wexen, deriv. of the n.
Related forms:
wax⋅a⋅ble, adjective
waxlike, adjective
wax
2 [waks] –verb (used without object), waxed; waxed or (Literary) wax⋅en; wax⋅ing.
) wax⋅en; wax⋅ing. | 1. | to increase in extent, quantity, intensity, power, etc.: Discord waxed at an alarming rate. |
| 2. | (of the moon) to increase in the extent of its illuminated portion before the full moon. Compare wane (def. 4). |
| 3. | to grow or become: He waxed angry at the insinuation. |
Synonyms:
1. extend, grow, lengthen, enlarge, dilate.
1. extend, grow, lengthen, enlarge, dilate.
wax
3 [waks] –noun Chiefly British.
| a fit of anger; rage. |
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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|
Link To wax
| wax 1 (wāks) n.
tr.v. waxed, wax·ing, wax·es
[Middle English, from Old English weax.] |
| wax 2 (wāks) intr.v. waxed, wax·ing, wax·es
[Middle English waxen, from Old English weaxan; see aug- in Indo-European roots.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Wax
Wax\, v. i. [imp. Waxed; p. p. Waxed, and Obs. or Poetic Waxen; p. pr. & vb. n. Waxing.] [AS. weaxan; akin to OFries. waxa, D. wassen, OS. & OHG. wahsan, G. wachsen, Icel. vaxa, Sw. v["a]xa, Dan. voxe, Goth. wahsjan, Gr. ? to increase, Skr. waksh, uksh, to grow. ???. Cf. Waist.]1. To increase in size; to grow bigger; to become larger or fuller; -- opposed to wane. The waxing and the waning of the moon. --Hakewill. Truth's treasures . . . never shall wax ne wane. --P. Plowman. 2. To pass from one state to another; to become; to grow; as, to wax strong; to wax warmer or colder; to wax feeble; to wax old; to wax worse and worse. Your clothes are not waxen old upon you. --Deut. xxix. 5. Where young Adonis oft reposes, Waxing well of his deep wound. --Milton. Waxing kernels (Med.), small tumors formed by the enlargement of the lymphatic glands, especially in the groins of children; -- popularly so called, because supposed to be caused by growth of the body. --Dunglison.Wax
Wax\, n. [AS. weax; akin to OFries. wax, D. was, G. wachs, OHG. wahs, Icel. & Sw. vax, Dan. vox, Lith. vaszkas, Russ. vosk'.]1. A fatty, solid substance, produced by bees, and employed by them in the construction of their comb; -- usually called beeswax. It is first excreted, from a row of pouches along their sides, in the form of scales, which, being masticated and mixed with saliva, become whitened and tenacious. Its natural color is pale or dull yellow. Note: Beeswax consists essentially of cerotic acid (constituting the more soluble part) and of myricyl palmitate (constituting the less soluble part). 2. Hence, any substance resembling beeswax in consistency or appearance. Specifically: (a) (Physiol.) Cerumen, or earwax. See Cerumen. (b) A waxlike composition used for uniting surfaces, for excluding air, and for other purposes; as, sealing wax, grafting wax, etching wax, etc. (c) A waxlike composition used by shoemakers for rubbing their thread. (d) (Zo["o]l.) A substance similar to beeswax, secreted by several species of scale insects, as the Chinese wax. See Wax insect, below. (e) (Bot.) A waxlike product secreted by certain plants. See Vegetable wax, under Vegetable. (f) (Min.) A substance, somewhat resembling wax, found in connection with certain deposits of rock salt and coal; -- called also mineral wax, and ozocerite. (g) Thick sirup made by boiling down the sap of the sugar maple, and then cooling. [Local U. S.] Japanese wax, a waxlike substance made in Japan from the berries of certain species of Rhus, esp. R. succedanea. Mineral wax. (Min.) See Wax, 2 (f), above. Wax cloth. See Waxed cloth, under Waxed. Wax end. See Waxed end, under Waxed. Wax flower, a flower made of, or resembling, wax. Wax insect (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of scale insects belonging to the family Coccid[ae], which secrete from their bodies a waxlike substance, especially the Chinese wax insect (Coccus Sinensis) from which a large amount of the commercial Chinese wax is obtained. Called also pela. Wax light, a candle or taper of wax. Wax moth (Zo["o]l.), a pyralid moth (Galleria cereana) whose larv[ae] feed upon honeycomb, and construct silken galleries among the fragments. The moth has dusky gray wings streaked with brown near the outer edge. The larva is yellowish white with brownish dots. Called also bee moth. Wax myrtle. (Bot.) See Bayberry. Wax painting, a kind of painting practiced by the ancients, under the name of encaustic. The pigments were ground with wax, and diluted. After being applied, the wax was melted with hot irons and the color thus fixed. Wax palm. (Bot.) (a) A species of palm (Ceroxylon Andicola) native of the Andes, the stem of which is covered with a secretion, consisting of two thirds resin and one third wax, which, when melted with a third of fat, makes excellent candles. (b) A Brazilian tree (Copernicia cerifera) the young leaves of which are covered with a useful waxy secretion. Wax paper, paper prepared with a coating of white wax and other ingredients. Wax plant (Bot.), a name given to several plants, as: (a) The Indian pipe (see under Indian). (b) The Hoya carnosa, a climbing plant with polished, fleshy leaves. (c) Certain species of Begonia with similar foliage. Wax tree (Bot.) (a) A tree or shrub (Ligustrum lucidum) of China, on which certain insects make a thick deposit of a substance resembling white wax. (b) A kind of sumac (Rhus succedanea) of Japan, the berries of which yield a sort of wax. (c) A rubiaceous tree (El[ae]agia utilis) of New Grenada, called by the inhabitants "arbol del cera." Wax yellow, a dull yellow, resembling the natural color of beeswax.Wax
Wax\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Waxed; p. pr. & vb. n. Waxing.] To smear or rub with wax; to treat with wax; as, to wax a thread or a table. Waxed cloth, cloth covered with a coating of wax, used as a cover, of tables and for other purposes; -- called also wax cloth. Waxed end, a thread pointed with a bristle and covered with shoemaker's wax, used in sewing leather, as for boots, shoes, and the like; -- called also wax end. --Brockett.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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wax (n.)
"substance made by bees," O.E. weax, from P.Gmc. *wakhsan (cf. O.S., O.H.G. wahs, O.N. vax, Du. was, Ger. Wachs); cognate with O.C.S. vasku, Lith. vaškas, Pol. wosk, Rus. vosk "wax" (but these may be from Gmc.). Waxworks "exhibition of wax figures representing famous or notorious persons" first recorded 1796.
wax (v.)
"grow bigger or greater," O.E. weaxan "to increase, grow" (class VII strong verb; past tense weox, pp. weaxen), from P.Gmc. *wakhsan (cf. O.S., O.H.G. wahsan, O.N. vaxa, O.Fris. waxa, Du. wassen, Ger. wachsen, Goth. wahsjan "to grow, increase"), from PIE *wegs- (cf. Skt. vaksayati "cause to grow," Gk. auxein "to increase"), extended form of base *aug- "to increase" (see augment). Strong conjugation archaic after 14c.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: wax
Pronunciation: 'waks
Function: noun
1 : a substance that is secreted by bees and is used by them for constructing the honeycomb, thatis a dull yellow solid plastic when warm, and that is composed of a mixture of esters, cerotic acid, and hydrocarbons called also beeswax
2 : any of various substancesresembling beeswax: as a : any of numerous substances of plant or animal origin that differ from fats in being less greasy, harder, and more brittle and in containing principallycompounds of high molecular weight (as fatty acids, alcohols, and saturated hydrocarbons) b : a pliable or liquid composition used especially in uniting surfaces, excluding air, makingpatterns or impressions, or producing a polished surface
3 : a waxy secretion; especially :
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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wax (wāks)
n.
- Any of various natural, oily or greasy heat-sensitive substances, consisting of hydrocarbons or esters of fatty acids that are insoluble in water but soluble in most organic solvents.
- Cerumen.
- A solid plastic or pliable liquid substance, such as paraffin, originating from petroleum and found in rock layers and often used in medicinal preparations.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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| wax (wāks) Pronunciation Key
Any of various solid, usually yellow substances that melt or soften easily when heated. They are similar to fats, but are less greasy and more brittle. Naturally occurring animal and plant waxes are esters of saturated fatty acids and alcohols of high molecular weight, including sterols. Waxes are also manufactured synthetically from petroleum, and are used to make polishers, lubricants, coatings, waterproofing, crayons, candles, and many other products. |
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Wax
Made by melting the combs of bees. Mentioned (Ps. 22:14; 68:2; 97:5; Micah 1:4) in illustration.
Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
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wax
In addition to the idiom beginning with wax, also see whole ball of wax.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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