I. ˈgläs, ˈglȯs noun
Etymology: akin to Middle High German glosen to glow, shine; akin to Old English geolu yellow
Date: 1538
1. : a surface luster or brightness : shine
2.
a. : a deceptively attractive appearance
selfishness that had a gloss of humanitarianism about it
b. : bright often superficial attractiveness
show-biz gloss
3. : a transparent cosmetic preparation for adding shine and usually color to the lips
II. transitive verb
Date: 1656
1.
a. : to mask the true nature of : give a deceptively attractive appearance to — used with over
the misery was general, where not gloss ed over by liberal application of alcohol — Marston Bates
b. : to deal with (a subject or problem) too lightly or not at all — used with over
gloss es over scholarly controversies rather than confronting them head-on — John Israel
2. : to give a gloss to
III. noun
Etymology: alteration of gloze, from Middle English glose, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin glosa, glossa, from Greek glōssa, glōtta tongue, language, obscure word; akin to Greek glōchis projecting point
Date: 1548
1.
a. : a brief explanation (as in the margin or between the lines of a text) of a difficult or obscure word or expression
b. : a false and often willfully misleading interpretation (as of a text)
2.
a. : glossary
b. : an interlinear translation
c. : a continuous commentary accompanying a text
3. : commentary , interpretation
IV. transitive verb
Date: 1603
1.
a. : to provide a gloss for : explain , define
b. : interpret
2. : to dispose of by false or perverse interpretation
trying to gloss away the irrationalities of the universe — Irwin Edman