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• French polish
  French polish

  noun

  a furniture finish, consisting of shellac dissolved in spirits.
• French-polish
  French-polish

  verb (used with object)

  to finish or treat (a piece of furniture) with French polish.

French polish

¹ American  

noun

1. a furniture finish, consisting of shellac dissolved in spirits.

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French-polish ² American  

[french-pol-ish] / ˈfrɛntʃˈpɒl ɪʃ /

verb (used with object)

1. to finish or treat (a piece of furniture) with French polish.

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French polish ¹ British  

noun

1. a varnish for wood consisting of shellac dissolved in alcohol

2. the gloss finish produced by repeated applications of this polish

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French-polish ² British  

verb

1. to treat with French polish or give a French polish (to)

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Etymology

Origin of French polish¹

First recorded in 1810–20

Origin of French-polish²

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

Dr. Walter Damrosch started the idea, after running a wartime school in which U. S. bandmasters took a high French polish.

From Time Magazine Archive

For instance,— "More pigs, Fewer parsons"; delivered with all seriousness; a later one was, "May the walls of old England never be covered with French polish!"

From Yesterdays with Authors by Fields, James T.

Nothing is so good for the best class of work as polishing entirely with French polish.

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

If I only hadn't used that abominable French polish this morning.

From A Voyage of Consolation (being in the nature of a sequel to the experiences of 'An American girl in London') by Duncan, Sara Jeannette

His shoes shone with a lustre beyond French polish, and his hat was brushed till not a wind dared to approach it.

From Auriol or, The Elixir of Life by Ainsworth, W. Harrison