▪ I. ˈwaxing, vbl. n.1
(ˈwæksɪŋ)
[f. wax v.1 + -ing1.]
The action of wax v.1; growth; increase.
| c 1055 Byrhtferth's Handboc in Anglia VIII. 323 Þonne se mona beo tyn nihta eald, and na þænne his leoht beo ærest on weaxunge. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 6572 [Cnut addressing the tide] Þeruore ich hote þe, þin wexing þat þou lete. 13.. Cursor M. 1430 (Gött.) Euer stod þai still in ane, widuten waxing [Cott. wax] or wane. 13.. Amis & Amil. 89 So like thei were both of syght, And of on wexing ryght. c 1449 Pecock Repr. iii. x. 339 Thilk wexing in possessiouns was cause or occasioun of thilk decrecing in vertues. 1589 Pappe w. Hatchet (1844) 36 Yet the emptie caske sounds lowder than when it was ful; and protests more in his waining, than he could performe in his waxing. 1652 Urquhart Jewel 134 The Moon, which was then but in the first week of his waxing. 1863 Possibilities of Creation 100 The waxings and wanings of light in these variable objects. 1870 Eng. Mech. 11 Mar. 630/2 The waxing of the light of the Satellite arises from its gradual passage out of the shadow. |
▪ II. ˈwaxing, vbl. n.2
[f. wax v.2 + -ing1.]
1. a. The process of covering or dressing with wax.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 519/1 Waxynge, wythe wax, ceracio. 1538 Elyot Dict., Cæratura, the waxinge. 1659 H. Turbervil Walk Knaves Walk 8 Lastly, you must observe the waxing of the boot. 1818 Art Preserv. Feet 137 The waxing of the thread is..for the purpose of preventing it from slipping. 1857 Miller Elem. Chem., Org. xi. §2. 673 Previous to sale,..another process [of currying leather], technically termed waxing, is performed. 1890 Anthony's Photogr. Bull. III. 344 Refusal to strip, is..due to..touching the waxed surface with the fingers after waxing. |
b. (See quot. 1858.)
| 1815 S. Parkes Chem. Ess. II. 148 note, In printing those silk handkerchiefs called Bandanas, a process called waxing is still followed. 1858 Simmonds Dict. Trade, Waxing, the process of stopping out colours in calico-printing. |
† c. A method of cheating at dice. Obs.
| 1726 [see topping vbl. n.1 1 c]. |
d. Depilation by means of wax (see wax v.2 1 c).
| 1974 Times 27 Aug. 9/2 Services..include waxing, manicure, pedicure. 1977 Evening Post (Nottingham) 27 Jan. 6/1 (Advt.), Get rid of unfeminine hair with the entirely new and painless method. No needle, no scarring, no waxing. 1982 Oxford Times 5 Nov. 13/5 (Advt.), Beauty Therapy, facials, manicure, pedicure, waxing. |
2. a. concr. Wax as a polish on furniture.
| 1825 J. Nicholson Oper. Mech. 745 Waxing.., like varnish,..is attended with inconveniences as well as advantages. |
b. U.S. slang. A gramophone record or phonograph cylinder.
| 1936 Metronome Feb. 21/4 Waxing, phonograph record. 1941 Jazz Information Nov. 26/1 I'll stick to the Victor-Bluebird waxings, for they are the best. 1965 [see frug]. 1981 Listener 1 Jan. 30/1 Buddy Bolden..is said to have recorded a phonograph cylinder, somewhere around 1902... The rumoured waxing has never been discovered. |
▪ III. ˈwaxing, ppl. a.
[f. wax v.1 + -ing2.]
That waxes, grows, or increases.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 7228 A grene wexinge tre þat is fram þe more Ismite adoun. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 7328 So waxynge [Petyt MS. waxand] folk in al þys werde, Ne so gendryng, ne so plentyue..Als we arn of oure kynde, In no lond scholde men fynde. 1387–8 T. Usk Test. Love iii. v. (Skeat) l. 5 Blosmes of waxing frute. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 471/1 Spryngynge, of a welle or oþer waxynge watyr, scaturacio. 1588 Shakes. Tit. A. iii. i. 95, I stand as one vpon a Rocke..Who markes the waxing tide grow waue by waue. 1666 Dryden Ann. Mirab. iv, Each wexing Moon supplied her watry store, To swell those Tides. 1820 J. H. Wiffen Aonian Hours (ed. 2) 36 The mutable moon Stamps all the changes of her wexing phase. 1883 M. Creighton Let. in Life (1904) I. 263, I am sorry that you think me a waxing Conservative. 1910 Rosebery Chatham xxi. 456 The Duke..was at war with the waxing power of Leicester House. |
† b. Of flesh: Excrescent. Obs.
| c 1400 Master of Game (MS. Digby 182) xii, Sometyme commeth to þe houndes sekenes in hir eyenn, for þer commeth a webbe vpon hem and waxynge flesshe, þe which commeth into þ{supt} one syde of þe eye and is cleped an nayle. |
† c. waxing kernel = wax-kernel, waxen-kernel. Obs.
| ? c 1460 Medulla (MS. St. John's, Cambr.) in Cath. Angl. 411 note 2 Glandula, nodus sub cute, a waxynge curnelle. 1530 Palsgr. 287/1 Waxyng kyrnels glandes, glanders. 1538 Elyot Dict., Tolles, a waxynge kernell. 1684 J. S. Profit & Pleas. United 206 Waxing-Kernel, Struma, Choaking, or the Strangles. |
† d. absol. in the waxand, in the waxing (phase). Cf. waniand.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 22496 Þe mone þat es sa scene, quen it es in þe waxand sene. |
Hence † ˈwaxingly adv., increasingly.
| 1483 Cath. Angl. 411/2 Waxingly, auctim. |