Shellac Meaning
/ʃəˈlæk/Definition, CEFR level C2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA processed secretion of the lac insect, Coccus lacca; used in polishes, varnishes etc.
nounA beating; a thrashing.
Sentence Examples
The carpenter used shellac to give the table a shiny finish.
Shellac is a resin used to make a protective coating for wood.
The carpenter applied a thin layer of shellac to the table.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The artisan used a natural ____ made from insect resin to seal the wood.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The carpenter applied a layer of ____ to the wooden chair to give it a durable, glossy finish.
Word Origin & History
From shell + lac, calque of French laque en écailles (literally “lac in scales/shells”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"But, she says, a wartime ban on recordings using shellac and vinyl kept the Walker version from being released."
— 2002 April 29, Norman Pearlstine, “A Month Of Mondays If that doesn't give you the blues, nothing will. Norman Pearlstine ranks his favorite versions of the classic "Stormy Monday Blues"--one for every doggone working day of the month.”, in CNN Money:
"At the turn of the century, the ever-expanding electrical industry was running low on shellac, a resin secreted by the female lac bug which could be used as an insulating material."
— 2019 November 5, Alice Bell, “Can science break its plastic addiction?”, in CNN:
"In 1964 Goldwater ran rambunctiously, flat-out against government. He got shellacked."
— 1987, George F. Will, The New Season: A Spectator's Guide to the 1988 Election, Simon and Schuster, page 21:
"In another the Mets were shellacked, 9-1, with a stray ninth-inning home run by Strawberry after two outs, preventing a shutout."
— 1987, Tim McCarver, Ray Robinson, Oh, Baby, I Love It!, Villard Books, page 220:
Explore More C2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The artisan used a natural ____ made from insect resin to seal the wood.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The carpenter applied a layer of ____ to the wooden chair to give it a durable, glossy finish.