polisher
(ˈpɒlɪʃə(r))
[f. as prec. + -er1.]
1. One who polishes or produces a smooth and (usually) glossy surface on anything. Often in comb., as brass-polisher, shoe-polisher, silver-polisher, stone-polisher.
| 1552 Huloet, Polisher of old wares to seme salable or new, interpolator. 1685 Boyle Effects of Mot. Suppl. 144 A Polisher of Gems. 1723 Lond. Gaz. No. 6187/4 James Whitelegge,.. Looking-Glass Polisher. 1813 J. Thomson Lect. Inflam. 607 The thick varnish which polishers or sword-cutlers use. 1899 Allbutt's Syst. Med. VII. 5 A polisher of parquet-flooring. |
2. A tool or appliance for polishing anything.
| 1598 Florio, Frucatore, an iron furbishing toole, a rubber, a polisher. 1777 Mudge in Phil. Trans. LX. 318 The..polisher is..made by covering the tool with sarcenet. 1884 F. J. Britten Watch & Clockm. 201 Polishers for steel are..of soft steel, iron, bell-metal, tin, zinc, lead or boxwood. |
3. fig. One who refines: see polish v. 2.
| 1610 Healey St. Aug. Citie of God 355 You are the neate Polishers of the rude antient Latine and Greeke. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones ix. v, Those great polishers of our manners..dancing-masters. 1801 H. More Wks. I. 26 Conversation, heav'nly fair..Soft polisher of rugged man! |