1. A material or substance that is used to make a glazed and varnished surface when it is rubbed on the top of something: Brian was looking for more polish so he could shine his shoes.

Mr. Gregory, the salesman, made sure that all of the available wooden furniture in the store was shiny with the best polish available.

2. A good quality that comes from efforts or good practices: The movie star still has the polish in the film that people expected to see.
3. An action that involves making something glossy: Lance, the artist, gave his statue another polish before the museum opened the exhibition for the public.

1. To make the surface of something smooth and lustrous by rubbing it: Timothy and Gregory polished their shoes before going to the dance.

Mike and his sister were polishing the silverware in preparation for the family banquet for the following day.

2. To refine, to improve, or to add the finishing touches to something by making it better: Joe's son needs to polish up his German before he takes his exam in school in the ensuing week.

The musical group polished up some new songs in preparation for the performance that was coming soon.

3. Etymology: from Old French poliss- and polir-, "to polish, to decorate"; from Latin polio, "to make smooth, to decorate, to embellish"; figuratively, "to refine, to improve".

A variety of liquids which are used to color or to paint fingernails and even toenails: There are several colors of nail polishes; and there are even special solutions that can be used to remove each kind of nail polish.

Marie used a special pink nail polish most of the time because it was her favorite color.