wax
1Also 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.
any of various similar substances, as spermaceti or the secretions of certain insects and plants.: Compare vegetable wax, wax insect.
any of a group of substances composed of hydrocarbons, alcohols, fatty acids, and esters that are solid at ordinary temperatures.
a resinous substance used by shoemakers for rubbing thread.
a person or object suggesting wax, as in manageability or malleability: I am helpless wax in your hands.
to rub, smear, stiffen, polish, etc., with wax: to wax the floor.
to fill the crevices of (ornamental marble) with colored material.
Informal. to make a phonograph recording of.
Slang. to defeat decisively; drub: We waxed the competition.
pertaining to, made of, or resembling wax: a wax candle; a wax doll.
Idioms about wax
whole ball of wax, Slang.
the entire or overall plan, concept, action, result, or the like: The first ten minutes of the meeting will determine the whole ball of wax.
everything of a similar or related nature: They sold us skis, boots, bindings, poles—the whole ball of wax.
Origin of wax
1Other words from wax
- wax·a·ble, adjective
- waxlike, adjective
Other definitions for wax (2 of 3)
to increase in extent, quantity, intensity, power, etc.: Discord waxed at an alarming rate.
(of the moon) to increase in the extent of its illuminated portion before the full moon.: Compare wane (def. 4).
to grow or become: He waxed angry at the insinuation.
Origin of wax
2Other words for wax
How to use wax in a sentence
Pushing up through the wet soil, already showed early snowplants, those strange, waxlike towers of crimson.
The Rules of the Game | Stewart Edward WhiteHis pale, inscrutable face was as waxlike as ever; his eyes were as cold, as penetrating, as old in their look of supreme wisdom.
The Gambler | Katherine Cecil ThurstonThere were a dozen of the lovely waxlike blooms amongst them, uninjured.
Despair's Last Journey | David Christie MurrayShe fairly trembled with joy as she uncovered the waxlike flowers of dainty pink and white.
Patchwork | Anna Balmer MyersThe name paraffin generally applies to a colorless and tasteless waxlike substance that is solid at ordinary temperature.
British Dictionary definitions for wax (1 of 3)
/ (wæks) /
any of various viscous or solid materials of natural origin: characteristically lustrous, insoluble in water, and having a low softening temperature, they consist largely of esters of fatty acids
any of various similar substances, such as paraffin wax or ozocerite, that have a mineral origin and consist largely of hydrocarbons
short for beeswax, sealing wax
physiol another name for cerumen
a resinous preparation used by shoemakers to rub on thread
bone wax a mixture of wax, oil, and carbolic acid applied to the cut surface of a bone to prevent bleeding
any substance or object that is pliable or easily moulded: he was wax in the hands of the political bosses
(modifier) made of or resembling wax: a wax figure
the act or an instance of removing body hair by coating it with warm wax, applying a strip of fabric, and then removing the fabric sharply, thereby plucking the hairs out by their roots
(tr) to coat, polish, etc, with wax
to remove (body hair) by means of a wax treatment
Origin of wax
1Derived forms of wax
- waxer, noun
- waxlike, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for wax (2 of 3)
/ (wæks) /
to become larger, more powerful, etc
(of the moon) to show a gradually increasing portion of illuminated surface, between new moon and full moon: Compare wane (def. 1)
archaic to become as specified: the time waxed late
Origin of wax
2British Dictionary definitions for wax (3 of 3)
/ (wæks) /
British informal, old-fashioned a fit of rage or temper: he's in a wax today
Origin of wax
3Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for wax
[ wăks ]
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 © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Other Idioms and Phrases with wax
In addition to the idiom beginning with wax
- wax and wane
also see:
- whole ball of wax
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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