Library / English Dictionary

GLOSS

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

An outward or token appearance or form that is deliberately misleading

Example:

the situation soon took on a different color

Synonyms:

color; colour; gloss; semblance

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("gloss" is a kind of...):

appearance; visual aspect (outward or visible aspect of a person or thing)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "gloss"):

color of law; colour of law (a mere semblance of legal right; something done with the apparent authority of law but actually in contravention of law)

simulacrum (an insubstantial or vague semblance)

face value (the apparent worth as opposed to the real worth)

guise; pretence; pretense; pretext (an artful or simulated semblance)

camouflage; disguise (an outward semblance that misrepresents the true nature of something)

verisimilitude (the appearance of truth; the quality of seeming to be true)

Derivation:

gloss (give a deceptive explanation or excuse for)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The property of being smooth and shiny

Synonyms:

burnish; gloss; glossiness; polish

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("gloss" is a kind of...):

smoothness (a texture without roughness; smooth to the touch)

effulgence; radiance; radiancy; refulgence; refulgency; shine (the quality of being bright and sending out rays of light)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "gloss"):

French polish (the glaze produced by repeated applications of French polish shellac)

glaze (a glossy finish on a fabric)

Derivation:

gloss (give a shine or gloss to, usually by rubbing)

Sense 3

Meaning:

An alphabetical list of technical terms in some specialized field of knowledge; usually published as an appendix to a text on that field

Synonyms:

gloss; glossary

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("gloss" is a kind of...):

wordbook (a reference book containing words (usually with their meanings))

Derivation:

gloss (provide an interlinear translation of a word or phrase)

gloss (provide interlinear explanations for words or phrases)

Sense 4

Meaning:

An explanation or definition of an obscure word in a text

Synonyms:

gloss; rubric

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("gloss" is a kind of...):

account; explanation (a statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc.)

Derivation:

gloss (provide an interlinear translation of a word or phrase)

gloss (provide interlinear explanations for words or phrases)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Give a deceptive explanation or excuse for

Example:

color a lie

Synonyms:

color; colour; gloss

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "gloss" is one way to...):

apologise; apologize; excuse; rationalise; rationalize (defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

gloss (an outward or token appearance or form that is deliberately misleading)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Provide an interlinear translation of a word or phrase

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "gloss" is one way to...):

interpret; render; translate (restate (words) from one language into another language)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

gloss (an alphabetical list of technical terms in some specialized field of knowledge; usually published as an appendix to a text on that field)

gloss (an explanation or definition of an obscure word in a text)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Provide interlinear explanations for words or phrases

Example:

He annotated on what his teacher had written

Synonyms:

annotate; comment; gloss

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "gloss" is one way to...):

interpret; rede (give an interpretation or explanation to)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

gloss (an alphabetical list of technical terms in some specialized field of knowledge; usually published as an appendix to a text on that field)

gloss (an explanation or definition of an obscure word in a text)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Give a shine or gloss to, usually by rubbing

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "gloss" is one way to...):

polish; shine; smooth; smoothen (make (a surface) shine)

"Gloss" entails doing...:

rub (move over something with pressure)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Also:

gloss over (cover up a misdemeanor, fault, or error)

gloss over (treat hurriedly or avoid dealing with properly)

Derivation:

gloss (the property of being smooth and shiny)

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