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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

See Examples For:

French polish French-polish

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

"Yes, indeed," said Patty, with a little sigh of content; "I adore this dressing-up performance, and really, girls, those boys are quite human under their French polish."

From Patty in Paris by Carolyn Wells

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 Sara Jeannette Duncan

The book-room itself had caught a darker gloom; the backs of the books seemed to have lost their gilding, and the mahogany furniture its French polish.

From The Kellys and the O'Kellys by Anthony Trollope

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 James T. Fields

What inventions of French-polish that refused all persuasions to dry, but continued to stick to and paint everything it came in contact with!

From Confessions Of Con Cregan An Irish Gil Blas by Charles James Lever

He agreed to take the old horse, the week before the races, and give him a last bit of French-polish if we'd keep him in steady work till then.

From Robbery under Arms; a story of life and adventure in the bush and in the Australian goldfields by Rolf Boldrewood

The bell-lamp in the passage looked as clear as a soap-bubble; you could see yourself in all the tables, and French-polish yourself on any one of the chairs. 

From Sketches by Boz, illustrative of everyday life and every-day people by Charles Dickens

None of your new, cheap, thinly-veneered, blown-together rubbish, smelling of shavings and French-polish.

From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 100, February 21, 1891 by Various

Villa at Barnsbury, permeated by strong smell of French-polish and fusty straw.

From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 99, November 29, 1890 by Various