1. n. & v.
--n.
1. a sticky plastic yellowish substance secreted by bees as the material of honeycomb cells; beeswax.
2 a white translucent material obtained from this by bleaching and purifying and used for candles, in modelling, as a basis of polishes, and for other purposes.
3 any similar substance, e.g. earwax.
4 colloq. a a gramophone record. b material for the manufacture of this.
5 (attrib.) made of wax.
--v.tr.
1. cover or treat with wax.
2 colloq. record for the gramophone.
Phrases and idioms:
be wax in a person's hands be entirely subservient to a person. lost wax CIRE PERDUE. wax-light a taper or candle of wax. wax-myrtle a tree, Myrtus cerifera, yielding wax and oil used for candles. wax-painting ENCAUSTIC. wax palm
1. a South American palm, Ceroxylon alpinum, with its stem coated in a mixture of resin and wax.
2 a carnauba. wax paper paper waterproofed with a layer of wax. wax-pod a yellow-podded bean. wax-tree an Asian tree, Rhus succedanea, having white berries which yield wax.
Derivatives:
waxer n.
Etymology: OE w{aelig}x, weax f. Gmc 2. v.intr.
1. (of the moon between new and full) have a progressively larger part of its visible surface illuminated, increasing in apparent size.
2 become larger or stronger.
3 pass into a specified state or mood (wax lyrical).
Phrases and idioms:
wax and wane undergo alternate increases and decreases.
Etymology: OE weaxan f. Gmc 3. n. sl. a fit of anger.
Etymology: 19th c.: orig. uncert.: perh. f. WAX(2) wroth etc.