WordGarden.iogloss
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /ɡlˈɒs/
US
- /ˈɡlɔs/
Meanings
Noun
a short explanation, translation, or interpretation of a word or passage
a smooth shiny surface or finish
a shiny cosmetic for the lips
Verb
to explain or interpret a word, passage, or text
to treat something briefly or make it seem less serious, especially in the phrase gloss over
to give something a shiny surface or finish
Beyond the definition
A gloss can be the shine on a painted wall, a photo, or a magazine page. It can also be a short explanation of a difficult word or line in a text.
You will often meet it in the phrase "gloss over." If someone glosses over a problem, they pass over it too quickly or avoid the uncomfortable details. So the word can point to shine and polish, but it can also suggest a quick explanation or a treatment that stays on the surface.
The word "gloss" moves through English in a few clear ways. In one sense, it is shine or luster: the gloss on polished wood, fresh paint, healthy hair, or a magazine cover. It can also mean a shiny finish or coating itself, especially in printing, paint, cosmetics, and design.
In another sense, a gloss is a brief explanation, especially of a difficult word or passage. Older texts often had glosses written beside the main text to help the reader, and that use gave us the word "glossary." In modern writing, a gloss may still be a short note, translation, or simple comment that makes something easier to understand.
The word also has a more critical use. To "gloss over" something is to skip past it, soften it, or hide how serious it really is. A speaker may gloss over mistakes, or a report may gloss over the cost of a decision. In that sense, the word suggests a smooth surface that keeps your eyes away from what lies underneath.
As a verb, gloss can mean to give something a shine, to add a short explanation, or, in the phrase "gloss over," to avoid full detail. Taken together, the word often lives near the border between polish and explanation: sometimes it helps make things clearer, and sometimes it makes them look simpler than they really are.
Examples
- 1
Surface shine
The paint has kept its gloss surprisingly well.
- 2
Makeup
She put on a little clear lip gloss before the interview.
- 3
Text annotation
This edition has a short gloss beside each old French word.
- 4
Policy framing
The article gives the policy a modern gloss.
- Patterngive X a gloss
present X in a particular way
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Mistake avoidance
He tried to gloss over the mistake, but everyone in the room noticed.
- Patterngloss over + problem
avoid dealing with something unpleasant or important
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- glossnounverb
Forms
- glossespluralnounverb
- glossedpast tenseverbnoun
- glossing-ing formverbnoun