waxen
/'wæksən/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Having the pale, smooth, or translucent appearance of wax: Used to describe a complexion or surface that resembles wax in color or texture, often suggesting paleness, lack of vitality, or an unnatural smoothness.
- Made of or covered with wax: Consisting of or coated with the substance wax.
Examples of Usage
- Describing appearance:
- The patient's waxen skin alarmed the doctor.
- Her face was waxen with fear.
- Describing material:
- The museum displayed waxen figures of historical leaders.
- They lit the waxen tapers on the altar.
Advanced Usage
- "waxen pallor": An extremely pale, lifeless complexion.
- The fever left him with a waxen pallor that took days to fade.
- Used in literary contexts to evoke a sense of stillness, death, or artificiality.
- The moonlight gave the statues a waxen glow.
Variants and Related Words
- Waxy (adj): Similar in meaning to 'waxen', often used interchangeably for appearance (e.g., a waxy complexion) or to describe a smooth, wax-like surface (e.g., a waxy floor).
- Wax (n/v): The substance itself (n) or the action of applying it (v).
Synonyms
- Pallid: Pale, especially from illness or emotion.
- Wan: Pale and giving the impression of illness or exhaustion.
- Ashen: Extremely pale, like ash.
- Lifeless: Lacking vitality or animation.
Antonyms
- Ruddy: Having a healthy red color.
- Florid: Having a red or flushed complexion.
- Vibrant: Full of life and energy.
Notes on Meaning
- The primary modern use is figurative, describing a pale, smooth appearance, often with negative connotations of illness or death.
- The literal meaning ("made of wax") is less common but still valid, particularly in historical or descriptive contexts.
Adjective
- having the paleness of wax
- the poor face with the same awful waxen pallor- Bram Stoker
- the soldier turned his waxlike features toward him
- a thin face with a waxy paleness
- made of or covered with wax
- waxen candles
- careful, the floor is waxy