Gloss

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /É¡lÉ’s/
• US IPA: /É¡lÉ”s/, /É¡lÉ‘s/
• Rhymes: -É’s

From a Germanic language, perhaps Middle High German, Dutch or Icelandic (compare glossi ("a blaze")).

Noun

1. (uncountable) A surface shine or luster/lustre
2. (uncountable, figuratively) A superficially or deceptively attractive appearance
• GoldsmithTo me more dear, congenial to my heart,
  One native charm than all the gloss of art.
• 2013, Daniel Taylor, Danny Welbeck leads England's rout of Moldova but hit by Ukraine ban (in The Guardian, 6 September 2013)http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/sep/06/england-moldova-world-cup-qualifier-matchreportHodgson may now have to bring in James Milner on the left and, on that basis, a certain amount of gloss was taken off a night on which Welbeck scored twice but barely celebrated either before leaving the pitch angrily complaining to the Slovakian referee.

Synonyms

• (surface shine): brilliance, gleam, luster/lustre, sheen, shine
• (superficially or deceptively attractive appearance): façade, front, veneer

Related terms

• glossy

Full definition of gloss

Verb

1. (transitive) To give a gloss or sheen to.
2. (transitive) To make (something) attractive by deception
• PhilipsYou have the art to gloss the foulest cause.
3. (intransitive) To become shiny.

Synonyms

• (give a gloss or sheen to): polish, shine
• (make (something) attractive by deception):
• (become shiny):

From Late Latin glossa ("an obsolete or foreign difficult word requiring explanation, later applied to explanation itself"), from Ancient Greek γλῶσσα (glōssa, "tongue, language, an obsolete or foreign word requiring explanation").

Noun

1. (countable) A foreign, archaic, technical, or other uncommon word requiring explanation.
2. (countable) A brief explanatory note or translation of a difficult or complex expression, usually inserted in the margin or between lines of a text.
• HudibrasAll this, without a gloss or comment,
  He would unriddle in a moment.
3. (countable) A glossary; a collection of such notes.
4. (countable) An extensive commentary on some text.
5. (countable) A deliberately misleading explanation.
6. (countable) A brief explanation in speech or in a written work, including a synonym used with the intent of indicating the meaning of the word to which it is applied
7. (countable, legal, US) An interpretation by a court of specific point within a statute or case law
• 2007 Bruce R. Hopkins. The law of tax-exempt organizations. p. 76Judicial Gloss on Test title
• 1979 American Bar Foundation. Annotated code of professional responsibility. p. ixThis volume is thus not a narrowly defined treatment of the Code of Professional Responsibility but rather represents a "common law" gloss on it.

Synonyms

• (brief explanatory note or translation of a difficult or complex expression): explanation, note
• (glossary): glossary, lexicon
• (extensive commentary on some text): commentary, discourse, discussion
• (deliberately misleading explanation): deception, lie

Related terms

• glossary

Verb

1. (transitive) To add a gloss to (a text).
2. (transitive) To give a deliberately false interpretation of.

Synonyms

• (add a gloss to): annotate, mark up
• (give a deliberately false interpretation of): misrepresent

Anagrams

• slogs