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View synonyms for shellac

shellac

or shel·lack

[ shuh-lak ]

noun

  1. lac that has been purified and formed into thin sheets, used for making varnish shellac varnish by dissolving it in alcohol or a similar solvent.
  2. formerly, a phonograph record made of a breakable material containing shellac, especially one to be played at 78 r.p.m.:

    In the antique shop I found a stack of old shellacs with recordings of great wartime classics.



verb (used with object)

, shel·lacked, shel·lack·ing.
  1. to coat or treat with shellac.
  2. Slang.
    1. to defeat; trounce.
    2. to thrash soundly.

shellac

/ ˈʃɛlæk; ʃəˈlæk /

noun

  1. a yellowish resin secreted by the lac insect, esp a commercial preparation of this used in varnishes, polishes, and leather dressings
  2. Also calledshellac varnish a varnish made by dissolving shellac in ethanol or a similar solvent
  3. a gramophone record based on shellac
“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


verb

  1. to coat or treat (an article) with a shellac varnish
  2. slang.
    to defeat completely
“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
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Derived Forms

  • shelˈlacker, noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of shellac1

First recorded in 1705–15; shell + lac 1, translation of French laque en écailles “lac in thin plates”
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Word History and Origins

Origin of shellac1

C18: shell + lac 1, translation of French laque en écailles, literally: lac in scales, that is, in thin plates
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Example Sentences

To make the finger move, the Linz group wrapped it with an exoskeleton made from a material that included ethanol and shellac, the resin that’s used in very old records.

It was a fluke discovery by Belgian-born chemist Leo Baekeland, who was seeking an alternative to the natural shellac that insulated electrical cables.

At the time, what gave natural polymers like cellulose, shellac and rubber their properties remained unknown.

These crystallize rapidly in the heat, forming a shiny, viscous shellac known as amberat.

When partially exhausted the aluminum shutters are dipped into a bath of shellac.

When the stone is warm wipe off the oil which the heat has driven out and apply a couple of coats of shellac to the broken ends.

When the shellac is thoroughly dry, warm the stone again to melt the shellac, and clamp the pieces together.

Good white shellac makes the best finish for the seat; the stool itself may be finished to suit.

This metal tube should be coated with thick shellac, and the paper tube slipped over it for 1 in.

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