Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense glosses, present participle glossing, past tense, past participle glossed
1. singular noun
A gloss is a bright shine on the surface of something.
Rain produced a black gloss on the asphalt.
Synonyms: shine, gleam, sheen, polish More Synonyms of gloss
2. uncountable noun
Gloss is an appearance of attractiveness or good quality which sometimes hides less attractive features or poor quality.
Television commercials seem more professional but beware of mistaking the gloss forthe content.
3. singular noun
If you put a glosson a bad situation, you try to make it seem more attractive or acceptable by giving people a false explanation or interpretation of it.
He used his diary to put a fine gloss on the horrors the regime perpetrated. [+ on]
The whole idea was to give history a happy gloss.
Synonyms: façade, show, front [informal], surface More Synonyms of gloss
4. variable noun
Gloss is the same as gloss paint.
5. variable noun
Gloss is a type of shiny make-up.
She brushed gloss on to her eyelids.
...lip glosses.
6. verb
If you gloss a difficult word or idea, you provide an explanation of it.
Older editors glossed 'drynke' as 'love-potion'. [VERB noun + as]
[Also VERB noun]
Synonyms: interpret, explain, comment, translate More Synonyms of gloss
Phrasal verbs:
See gloss over
More Synonyms of gloss
gloss in British English1
(ɡlɒs)
noun
1.
a.
lustre or sheen, as of a smooth surface
b.
(as modifier)
gloss paint
2.
a superficially attractive appearance
3. gloss paint
4.
a cosmetic preparation applied to the skin to give it a faint sheen
lip gloss
verb
5.
to give a gloss to or obtain a gloss
Derived forms
glosser (ˈglosser)
noun
glossless (ˈglossless)
adjective
Word origin
C16: probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Icelandic glossi flame, Middle High German glosen to glow
gloss in British English2
(ɡlɒs)
noun
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
verb(transitive)
4.
to add glosses to
Derived forms
glosser (ˈglosser)
noun
glossingly (ˈglossingly)
adverb
Word origin
C16: from Latin glōssa unusual word requiring explanatory note, from Ionic Greek
gloss. in British English
abbreviation for
glossary
glossary in British English
(ˈɡlɒsərɪ)
nounWord forms: plural-ries
an alphabetical list of terms peculiar to a field of knowledge with definitions or explanations
Sometimes called: gloss
gloss in American English1
(glɔs; glɑs)
noun
1.
the brightness or luster of a smooth, polished surface; sheen
2.
a deceptively smooth or pleasant outward appearance, as in manners or speech
3.
lip gloss
verb transitive
4.
to give a polished, shiny surface to; make lustrous
5.
to smooth over or cover up (an error, inadequacy, fault, etc.); make appear right by specious argument or by minimizing
often with over
verb intransitive
6.
to become shiny
Derived forms
glosser (ˈglosser)
noun
Word origin
prob. < Scand, as in Norw dial. glosa, to gleam: for IE base see glass
gloss in American English2
(glɔs; glɑs)
noun
1.
words of explanation or translation inserted between the lines of a text
2.
a.
a note of comment or explanation accompanying a text, as in a footnote or margin
b.
a collection of such notes
3.
a false or misleading interpretation
verb transitive
4.
to furnish (a text) with glosses
5.
to interpret falsely
verb intransitive
6.
to annotate a text
Derived forms
glosser (ˈglosser)
noun
Word origin
ME glose < OFr or ML glosa, for L glossa, foreign or strange word needing explanation < Gr glōssa, orig., tongue, language < *glōchia, pointed object < glochis, point < IE base *glogh-, thorn, point > OSlav gloge, thorn
gloss in American English3
glossary
More idioms containing
gloss
put a gloss on something
Examples of 'gloss' in a sentence
gloss
It looks like a gloss as you paint it on, but it dries matt.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It's a natural desire to give hope and put a positive gloss on things.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The look is back with one main difference: gloss and shine.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Space battle and lip gloss don't mix.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
None of this can quite gloss over the fact that Spain had so many key players missing.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This puts a gloss on our findings, which were strongly critical of the use of this drug in the past.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
If you're squeamish about a bit of grit, best wait until the revival has spread its gloss a little more widely.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
She is available in a matte or gloss finish.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Step one is to strip away surface gloss and get straight to the heart of a bond.
The Sun (2012)
He came in and put his magic high gloss on it.
The Sun (2012)
Watching gloss paint dry is instant gratification compared to watching rock grow.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Three more goals in the last six minutes added gloss as the visitors collapsed.
The Sun (2012)
We paint nails and use lip gloss and a bit of blush.
The Sun (2008)
It attempted to put a gloss on the withdrawal of the money.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The sheer absurdity of the situation cannot be glossed over.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Finish by adding the butter to give the sauce a high gloss.
The Sun (2014)
Also getting a headache due to gloss paint.
Mumby, Keith The Allergy Handbook (1988)
Anything foreign and exotic adds a gloss of sophistication and authenticity.
Joanna Blythman Bad Food Britain (2006)
Finish off with a glaze of metallic lip gloss.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
He tried to put a gloss on it.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Let us gloss over the fact that one of those convicted for exposing her name is his own cousin.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The white gloss finish makes it perfect for use in the bathroom, too.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
You can look beyond surface gloss and see people's true characters.
The Sun (2008)
But to impose today's sensibilities can gloss over historical facts.
The Times Literary Supplement (2013)
I'm trying to put a positive gloss on the whole unpleasant experience.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Also, avoid shiny lip gloss or lipstick - these slide into lines around lips.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
My hair has just the right thickness, natural curl, gloss and shine to turn heads.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
That put a positive gloss on something that is, in fact, inevitable.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Choose from 14 colours in satin or gloss finish, sleek white or grey glass.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
In a press conference in Warsaw, he sought to put a positive gloss on talks.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
In other languages
gloss
British English: gloss NOUN
A gloss is a bright shine on the surface of something.
Rain produced a black gloss on the asphalt.
American English: gloss
Brazilian Portuguese: brilho
Chinese: 光泽
European Spanish: brillo
French: éclat
German: Glanz
Italian: lucentezza
Japanese: 光沢
Korean: 광택
European Portuguese: brilho
Latin American Spanish: brillo
All related terms of 'gloss'
glosso-
indicating a tongue or language
lip gloss
Lip gloss is a clear or very slightly coloured substance that is put on the lips to make them shiny .
gloss over
If you gloss over a problem , a mistake , or an embarrassing moment , you try and make it seem unimportant by ignoring it or by dealing with it very quickly.
gloss paint
Gloss paint is paint that forms a shiny surface when it dries .
gloss finish
a reflective or shiny surface, usually on a photograph but also sometimes on metal, paper, paint , etc
semigloss
a paint that gives a finish between matt and gloss
put a gloss on something
to try to convince people that things are better than they really are