Definition

1. Noun:

   • A type of varnish: A thin, clear or colored varnish made by dissolving lac (a resin secreted by insects) in denatured alcohol (ethanol). It is used to coat and protect surfaces, particularly wood, providing a hard, glossy finish.
   • The raw material: Lac that has been purified through heating and filtering, typically sold in thin, brittle flakes that are orange or yellow in color, but can also be bleached white.

2. Verb:

   • To coat with shellac: The act of applying a layer of shellac varnish to a surface to finish, seal, or protect it.
   • To defeat decisively (informal): (Slang, chiefly US) To defeat an opponent thoroughly or decisively.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • The antique table was restored with a coat of shellac.
  • He bought a bag of orange shellac flakes to mix his own varnish.

• Verb:

  • She will shellac the wooden jewelry box to give it a shiny finish.
  • (Informal) The home team shellacked their rivals, winning 10-0.

Advanced Usage

• "To get shellacked": (Informal) To be thoroughly defeated or beaten.
  • Our team got shellacked in the championship game.

Variants and Related Words

• Shellacked (adj): Coated with shellac; or (informally) thoroughly defeated.

  • The shellacked surface was smooth and reflective.
  • He felt shellacked after the grueling debate.

• Shellacking (n): The process of applying shellac; or (informally) a severe defeat.

  • The shellacking took three coats to achieve the desired look.
  • The election result was a complete shellacking for the incumbent party.

Synonyms

• Varnish (n): A liquid that is applied to a surface to give it a hard, clear, shiny coating.
• Lacquer (n): A liquid made of shellac or synthetic substances, used to form a hard, shiny coating.
• Thrash (v, informal): To defeat someone decisively. (e.g., )
• Trounce (v, informal): To defeat heavily. (e.g., )

Related Phrasal Verbs/Verb Phrases

(Note: "Shellac" does not commonly form phrasal verbs. The informal meaning functions as a standard transitive verb.)

Related Idioms

(Note: There are no common idioms centered solely on the word "shellac." The informal usage itself is idiomatic.)

Noun

1. a thin varnish made by dissolving lac in ethanol; used to finish wood
2. lac purified by heating and filtering; usually in thin orange or yellow flakes but sometimes bleached white

Verb

1. cover with shellac
   • She wanted to shellac the desk to protect it from water spots