plaster

American  

[plas-ter, plah-ster] / ˈplæs tər, ˈplɑ stər /

Archaic, plaister

noun

1. a composition, as of lime or gypsum, sand, water, and sometimes hair or other fiber, applied in a pasty form to walls, ceilings, etc., and allowed to harden and dry.

2. powdered gypsum.

3. plaster of Paris.

4. a solid or semisolid preparation spread upon cloth, plastic, or other material and applied to the body, especially for some healing purpose.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to cover (walls, ceilings, etc.) with plaster.

2. to treat with gypsum or plaster of Paris.

3. to lay flat like a layer of plaster.

4. to daub or fill with plaster or something similar.

5. to apply a plaster to (the body, a wound, etc.).

6. to overspread with something, especially thickly or excessively.

   a wall plastered with posters.

7. Informal.

   1. to defeat decisively; trounce; drub.

   2. to knock down or injure, as by a blow or beating.

   3. to inflict serious damage or injury on by heavy bombing, shelling, or other means of attack.

plaster British  

/ ˈplɑːstə /

noun

1. a mixture of lime, sand, and water, sometimes stiffened with hair or other fibres, that is applied to the surface of a wall or ceiling as a soft paste that hardens when dry

2. an adhesive strip of material, usually medicated, for dressing a cut, wound, etc

3. short for mustard plaster plaster of Paris

---

verb

1. to coat (a wall, ceiling, etc) with plaster

2. (tr) to apply like plaster

   she plastered make-up on her face

3. (tr) to cause to lie flat or to adhere

4. (tr) to apply a plaster cast to

5. slang (tr) to strike or defeat with great force

Other Word Forms

• plasterer noun
• plasteriness noun
• plasterlike adjective
• plastery adjective
• replaster verb (used with object)
• unplaster verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of plaster

First recorded before 1000; Middle English, Old English, from Medieval Latin plastrum “plaster” (both medical and building senses), aphetic variant of Latin emplastrum, from Greek émplastron “salve,” alteration of émplaston, neuter of émplastos “daubed”; em- ², -plast

Example Sentences

He’s watching me, a grin plastered wide on his face.

From Literature

The intricate patterns and iconic brick walls that once defined the kitchen have fallen into disrepair - plaster peeling from cracked walls and sections of the floor beginning to cave in.

From BBC

The slogan "Play louder together" is plastered across the walls.

From BBC

She long dreamed of becoming an astronaut, she has said, noting the poster of the iconic "Earthrise" image plastered to the wall of her childhood bedroom.

From Barron's

Super Micro’s name and logo were plastered over the exhibition floor at Nvidia’s tech conference this past week in San Jose, Calif., where Huang touted a forecast of $1 trillion in chip sales.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• adhesive
• cement
• glue
• lime
• mortar
• stucco