to shine

Examples

• All

• There are tarnished things that need to shine again.

  Harvard University

• Now, if you don't shine your shoes, do they get shined?

  Big George Foreman (2023)

• I thought they were still talking about Miss Williams asking me to shine her shoes.

  Fiction book (1993)

• The shoes are lined up at the foot of the bed, spit-shined toes pointed outward.

  Fiction book (1992)

• On a sideboard, a silver bowl had been polished till it shone in the gloom.

  Fiction book (1994)

• Their breastplates and conical helmets shone from polishing, and even the mail on their arms gleamed brightly.

  Fiction book (1991)

• She spent the afternoon polishing her furniture to shine it back to its original brightness.

• He makes sure to shine his car every weekend to keep it looking new and well-maintained.

Synonyms

S

to smooth

vsto shine

54 1.1

To make a surface even by rubbing or pressing

emphasizes brightening by polishing rather than other methods

P

to polish

vsto shine

46 1.1

To make something smooth and shiny by rubbing it

is the common everyday term for producing that rubbed bright surface

B

to buff

vsto shine

17 4.4

To polish something by rubbing until it is smooth or shiny

is the broader term for creating an even bright surface

B

to burnish

vsto shine

11 7.1

To make a surface smooth and shiny by rubbing

is used when both evenness and brightness are meant

G

to gloss

vsto shine

1 4.0

To make a surface smooth and shiny by rubbing or polishing

focuses on making the surface even and bright rather than only adding appearance

L

to luster

vsto shine

• US

1 5.2

To make a surface shiny or glossy

refers to the resulting look rather than the act of rubbing to improve it

F

to furbish

vsto shine

• Archaic

1 9.2

To make something shiny by rubbing

is the common action term covering that brightening by rubbing

S

to smoothen

vsto shine

4.3

To make a surface flat and even by rubbing or polishing

is used for deliberate brightening by polishing rather than natural smoothing

S

to slicker

vsto shine

5.1

To make something smooth and shiny by rubbing or polishing

is less intense, used for normal even and bright finishes

Antonyms

R

to roughen

2 4.2

To make a surface not smooth so it feels bumpy

Idioms

R

to rise and shine

• Informal

34 3.9

To wake up and start the day with energy

Phrasal Verbs

S

to shine light on

• Literature

26 3.9

To show information people do not know

S

to shine through

21 4.2

A quality that is easy to see despite problems

S

to shine a light on

• Literature

12 4.1

To make a problem or issue clear and known to many people

S

to shine at

1 3.5

To be very good at a particular activity

S

to shine up

• Informal

1 8.0

Try to make someone like you by giving fake praise or acting friendly

T

to take the shine out of

• Informal

7.3

To make something less enjoyable or impressive

Compounds

S

shine box

• Archaic

1 7.1

A box that holds brushes, cloths, and polish for shoes

H

high-gloss shine

5.0

A very shiny smooth surface that reflects light brightly

How Shiny

to burnish

11 7.1

to shine

64 1.0

to polish

46 1.1

to clean

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

Etymology