I. ˈplastə(r), -laas-, -lais-, -lȧs- noun
also plais·ter ˈplās-
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English plaster, plastre, from Old English, from Latin emplastrum, from Greek emplastron, emplastros, from emplastos daubed on, plastered up, verbal of emplassein to plaster up, make stick, from em- en- (II) + plassein to form, mold, plaster; akin to Greek pelanos round flat cake, Latin planus level, flat — more at floor
1.
a. : an external application of a consistency harder than ointment that is prepared for use by spreading it on cloth (as gauze) or other material and that is adhesive at the ordinary temperature of the body ; also : the application together with the material on which it is spread — see adhesive plaster , mustard plaster , porous plaster , sticking plaster
b. : anything applied to heal or soothe : salve
2.
[Middle English plaster, plastre, from Middle French plastre, from Latin emplastrum ]
a. : a cementing material that is produced by expelling a gas or liquid from a natural material (as limestone or gypsum) and has cementing properties caused by reabsorption of the gas or liquid
b. : plaster of paris
c. : a material that is applied in a plastic state (as by troweling) and hardens upon drying, that is used especially for coating interior walls, ceilings, and partitions, and that is usually made by mixing sand and water with gypsum plaster, quicklime, or hydrated lime to which hair or fiber may be added to act as a binder
lime plaster
acoustical plaster
— see bond plaster , cement plaster , gauging plaster , keene's cement ; compare brown coat , finishing coat , scratch coat ; mortar , stucco
d. : land plaster
3.
a. : a coating or surface of plaster (as on a wall or ceiling) especially when hardened
drive nails into the plaster
cracks in the plaster
b. : pargeting , plasterwork
c. : a work of art made of plaster of paris
II. verb
also plaister “
( plastered ; plastered ; plastering -t(ə)riŋ ; plasters )
Etymology: Middle English plasteren, partly from plaster (I) & partly from Middle French plastrir, from plastre plaster
transitive verb
1.
a. : to overlay or cover with plaster or a similar material
plaster a wall
b. : to smear or bedaub as if with plaster : coat
frequently fell and rose well plastered with yellow clay — R.M.Lovett
when the debris is solidly plastered over with snow — V.A.Firsoff
2.
a. : to apply a plaster to (as a wound or sprain)
b. : soothe , alleviate , remedy
3.
a. : to cover over or conceal as if with a coat of plaster
has at bottom the feelings of a gentleman, but all these are so plastered over with a stiff manner — H.J.Laski
: repair or redecorate superficially as if by plastering
the new owners doubled its size and plastered it with the panels and doors of an ancient English manor house — Van Wyck Brooks
b. : to apply as a coating or incrustation
typical of the veneer of antiquity which the sixteenth century loved to plaster over everything — R.A.Hall b.1911
plastered with jewels or decked in uniform — Saturday Review
c. : to smooth down with or as if with a sticky or shiny substance
wore his black hair plastered down
4. : to fasten or apply tightly to another surface
plastered my ear again to the drawing-room window — Denton Welch
rain sluicing down to plaster his ragged shirt to his body — Marcia Davenport
5. : to treat with plaster of paris: as
a. : to fertilize (as land or a crop) with plaster of paris
b. : to add plaster of paris to grapes or new wine for the purpose of improving the color or keeping qualities of the wine
6.
a. : to affix to or place upon especially conspicuously or lavishly
walls plastered with show bills
notices with which actresses plaster their books — G.B.Shaw
portrait plastered on a magazine cover
the more chips you plaster on the table the more likely is the ball to stop in your number — John Irwin
monotonous superlatives that were plastered on movie previews — Edmund Wilson
b.
(1) : to cause (an area) to be saturated with posters, placards, or advertising matter
run off 500 placards and plaster the town with them — Joanna Spencer
(2) : to cause to become known to many throughout a wide area
having plastered has nasty innuendoes around — Anthony West
7. : to inflict heavy damage, injury, or casualties upon, especially by a concentrated or unremitting attack : strike heavily and effectively
warships plastering the beach to clear the way for the invasion craft — C.D.Pearson
plan was to plaster the positions on the forward hills — E.V.Westrate
plastered his opponent for four rounds and then knocked him out
plastered the opposing team
intransitive verb
: to apply plaster
III. adjective
Etymology: plaster (I)
1. also plaister “ : made of plaster
plaster ornaments
2. : sham
elevate the patriot leaders into plaster models of inhuman perfection — H.B.Parkes