gloss 1
— glossless , adj.
/glos, glaws/ , n.
1. a superficial luster or shine; glaze: the gloss of satin.
2. a false or deceptively good appearance.
3. Also, glosser . a cosmetic that adds sheen or luster, esp. one for the lips.
v.t.
4. to put a gloss upon.
5. to give a false or deceptively good appearance to: to gloss over flaws in the woodwork.
[ 1530-40; prob. akin to D gloos glowing, MHG glosen to glow, shine, Sw dial. glysa to shine ]
Syn. 1. See polish. 2. front, pretense.
gloss 2
— glossingly , adv.
/glos, glaws/ , n.
1. an explanation or translation, by means of a marginal or interlinear note, of a technical or unusual expression in a manuscript text.
2. a series of verbal interpretations of a text.
3. a glossary.
4. an artfully misleading interpretation.
v.t.
5. to insert glosses on; annotate.
6. to place (a word) in a gloss.
7. to give a specious interpretation of; explain away (often fol. by over or away ): to gloss over a serious problem with a pat solution.
v.i.
8. to make glosses.
[ 1250-1300; (n.) ME glose ( glosa, gloza glôssa word requiring explanation, lit., language, tongue; (v.) ME glosen glossare, deriv. of glosa; cf. GLOZE, reflecting OF pron. of verb ]
Syn. 1. comment, annotation. 2. commentary, critique, exegesis, explication. 5. explain, interpret, analyze, explicate.