shellac

American  

[shuh-lak] / ʃəˈlæk /

Or shellack

noun

1. lac that has been purified and formed into thin sheets, used for making varnish shellac varnish by dissolving it in alcohol or a similar solvent.

2. formerly, a phonograph record made of a breakable material containing shellac, especially one to be played at 78 r.p.m..

   In the antique shop I found a stack of old shellacs with recordings of great wartime classics.

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verb (used with object)

shellacs, present (3rd person singular) shellacked, past participle, past shellacking present participle

1. to coat or treat with shellac.

2. Slang.

   1. to defeat; trounce.

   2. to thrash soundly.

shellac British  

/ ˈʃɛlæk, ʃəˈlæk /

noun

1. a yellowish resin secreted by the lac insect, esp a commercial preparation of this used in varnishes, polishes, and leather dressings

2. Also called: shellac varnish.  a varnish made by dissolving shellac in ethanol or a similar solvent

3. a gramophone record based on shellac

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verb

1. to coat or treat (an article) with a shellac varnish

2. slang to defeat completely

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• shellacker
  noun

Inflected Forms

Participles

• shellacking
  present
• shellacked
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• shellac
  simple
• shellacs
  simple
• have shellacked
  perfect
• has shellacked
  perfect
• are shellacking
  progressive
• am shellacking
  progressive
• is shellacking
  progressive
• have been shellacking
  perfect progressive
• has been shellacking
  perfect progressive

Past

• shellacked
  simple
• had shellacked
  perfect
• was shellacking
  progressive
• were shellacking
  progressive
• had been shellacking
  perfect progressive

Future

• will shellac
  simple
• will have shellacked
  perfect
• will be shellacking
  progressive
• will have been shellacking
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of shellac

First recorded in 1705–15; shell + lac ¹, translation of French laque en écailles “lac in thin plates”

Explanation

You might paint a layer of shellac, or varnish, on a bench built from reclaimed and stained wood, to protect it and give it a glossy sheen. This noun, mainly associated with a thin varnish, displays its origins plainly: the main ingredient is lac, a resinous substance secreted by some scale insects. Shellac started making the rounds in English in the 18th century and enjoyed a vogue a century later as the main constituent of phonograph records. It originally came from the French laque en écailles, or "lac in thin plates."

Example Sentences

At the time of his death, Albini’s band Shellac were preparing to tour their first new album in a decade, “To All Trains,” which releases next week.

From Seattle Times • May 8, 2024

Albini was an instrumental and uncompromising figure in the US indie scene in the 1980s and 90s, leading bands including Big Black and Shellac.

From BBC • May 8, 2024

As a musician, Mr. Albini led the bands Big Black in the 1980s and, since 1992, Shellac, both of which venerated loud, raw guitars and angry, screaming vocals.

From New York Times • May 8, 2024

Shellac and the hardcore supergroup Head Wound City played knives-out punk—one act slow and menacing, the other fast and flailing. 

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 28, 2016

Shellac is produced in the largest quantity and the best quality in Bengal, Assam, and Burmah.

From French Polishing and Enamelling A Practical Work of Instruction by Bitmead, Richard