shoe polish
4
2.0
- noun
- /ʃuː ˈpɒlɪʃ/
:
betún
- She applied some shoe polish to her boots to make them shine.
- a tin of shoe polish
- black shoe polish
- white shoe polish
Examples
-
But every nickel went to shoe polish, right?
-
Over rain-slick streets the color of shoe polish.
Fiction book (1996) -
Why do you smell like shoe polish?
-
You asked for shoe polish.
-
I had to use shoe polish to make that sign.
Fiction book (1994) -
What smells like shoe polish?
Fiction book (1994) -
Don't you have any shoe polish?
-
- Shoe polish fills in the cracks.
-
Pfefferberg shows him a container of shoe polish that he takes from his pocket.
Fiction book (1993) -
We chatted for a while about shoe polish and clothespins.
Fiction book (1999)
Synonyms
81
2.7
A substance used to make a surface smooth and shiny
1
8.6
A paste people use to polish shoes or boots and make them shine
How Shiny
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a substance applied to footwear to produce a shiny, protective surface' is directly derivable from combining 'shoe' (footwear) with 'polish' (a substance used to shine surfaces). This noun–noun compound is a straightforward, productive composition pattern found in many languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily understand it.
Etymology
Shoe polish comes from the simple idea of putting polish on a shoe to 'make it shine'. Imagine rubbing wax or cream with a soft cloth on a scuffed leather shoe until it gleams; that image explains why shoe polish means a product used to shine and protect shoes.