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definitions

waxing

[wak-sing]
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR waxing ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the act or process of applying wax, as in polishing or filling.
the manufacturing of a phonograph record.
the act or technique of applying a depilatory wax to the body for removing hair.

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RELATED WORDS

swell, develop, magnify, augment, dilate, come, mount, rise, upsurge, enlarge, increase, turn, build, become, multiply, run, heighten, grow, expand

Nearby words

  1. wavey,
  2. wavy,
  3. waw,
  4. wawa,
  5. wawl,
  6. wax and wane,
  7. wax bean,
  8. wax cap,
  9. wax flower,
  10. wax gourd

Origin of waxing

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at wax1, -ing1
Related formsnon·wax·ing, adjective

wax

1
[waks]

noun

Also called beeswax. a solid, yellowish, nonglycerine substance allied to fats and oils, secreted by bees, plastic when warm and melting at about 145°F, variously employed in making candles, models, casts, ointments, etc., and used by bees in constructing their honeycomb.
any of various similar substances, as spermaceti or the secretions of certain insects and plants.Compare vegetable wax, wax insect.
any of a group of substances composed of hydrocarbons, alcohols, fatty acids, and esters that are solid at ordinary temperatures.
cerumen; earwax.
a resinous substance used by shoemakers for rubbing thread.
sealing wax.
a person or object suggesting wax, as in manageability or malleability: I am helpless wax in your hands.

verb (used with object)

to rub, smear, stiffen, polish, etc., with wax: to wax the floor.
to fill the crevices of (ornamental marble) with colored material.
bikini wax.
Informal. to make a phonograph recording of.
Slang. to defeat decisively; drub: We waxed the competition.

adjective

pertaining to, made of, or resembling wax: a wax candle; a wax doll.

Origin of wax

1
before 900; (noun) Middle English wex, waxe, Old English weax; cognate with Dutch was, German Wachs, Old Norse vax; (v.) Middle English wexen, derivative of the noun
Related formswax·a·ble, adjectivewax·like, adjective

wax

2
[waks]

verb (used without object), waxed; waxed or (Literary) wax·en; wax·ing.

to increase in extent, quantity, intensity, power, etc.: Discord waxed at an alarming rate.
(of the moon) to increase in the extent of its illuminated portion before the full moon.Compare wane(def 4).
to grow or become: He waxed angry at the insinuation.

Origin of wax

2
before 900; Middle English waxen, Old English weaxan; cognate with German wachsen; akin to waist
Can be confusedwane wax
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for waxing

British Dictionary definitions for waxing

wax

1

noun

any of various viscous or solid materials of natural origin: characteristically lustrous, insoluble in water, and having a low softening temperature, they consist largely of esters of fatty acids
any of various similar substances, such as paraffin wax or ozocerite, that have a mineral origin and consist largely of hydrocarbons
short for beeswax, sealing wax
physiol another name for cerumen
a resinous preparation used by shoemakers to rub on thread
bone wax a mixture of wax, oil, and carbolic acid applied to the cut surface of a bone to prevent bleeding
any substance or object that is pliable or easily mouldedhe was wax in the hands of the political bosses
(modifier) made of or resembling waxa wax figure
the act or an instance of removing body hair by coating it with warm wax, applying a strip of fabric, and then removing the fabric sharply, thereby plucking the hairs out by their roots

verb

(tr) to coat, polish, etc, with wax
to remove (body hair) by means of a wax treatment
Derived Formswaxer, nounwaxlike, adjective

Word Origin for wax

Old English weax, related to Old Saxon, Old High German wahs, Old Norse vax

wax

2

verb (intr)

to become larger, more powerful, etc
(of the moon) to show a gradually increasing portion of illuminated surface, between new moon and full moonCompare wane (def. 1)
archaic to become as specifiedthe time waxed late

Word Origin for wax

Old English weaxan; related to Old Frisian waxa, Old Saxon, Old High German wahsan, Gothic wahsjan

wax

3

noun

British informal, old-fashioned a fit of rage or temperhe's in a wax today

Word Origin for wax

of obscure origin; perhaps from the phrase to wax angry
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for waxing
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for waxing

waxing

[wăk′sĭng]

n.

The shaping of the contours of a trial denture or crown in wax prior to its casting in metal.

wax

[wăks]

n.

Any of various natural, oily or greasy heat-sensitive substances, consisting of hydrocarbons or esters of fatty acids that are insoluble in water but soluble in most organic solvents.
Cerumen.
A solid plastic or pliable liquid substance, such as paraffin, originating from petroleum and found in rock layers and often used in medicinal preparations.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Science definitions for waxing

wax

[wăks]

Any of various solid, usually yellow substances that melt or soften easily when heated. They are similar to fats, but are less greasy and more brittle. Naturally occurring animal and plant waxes are esters of saturated fatty acids and alcohols of high molecular weight, including sterols. Waxes are also manufactured synthetically from petroleum, and are used to make polishers, lubricants, coatings, waterproofing, crayons, candles, and many other products.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Idioms and Phrases with waxing

wax

In addition to the idiom beginning with wax

  • wax and wane

also see:

  • whole ball of wax
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.