english
1
general::
polish sb off
[ M ] mainly US informal
to kill someone
• He was accused of polishing off his former partner., polish sth/sb off
[ M ] informal
to defeat a competitor easily
• Arsenal polished off Chelsea 5-0 in Saturday's match., polish sth off
[ M ] informal
to finish something quickly and easily, especially a lot of food or work
• He polished off the whole pie.
• I polished off three essays in one week., polish sth up
[ M ] OBJECT
1. to rub or brush an object to make it shine, especially a metal or wooden object
• Robert was polishing up some old silver candlesticks., polish sth up
[ M ] SKILL
2. to improve a skill, especially when you have allowed it to become less good over a period of time
• I really must polish up my Japanese before we visit Japan next year.
Cambridge-Phrasal Verbs
2
general::
noun ADJ. boot, furniture, metal, nail, shoe, silver | French | beeswax, wax VERB + POLISH apply Apply polish with a soft brush. | give sth You'll need to give your shoes a good polish. | remove Use acetone to remove nail polish.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
3
general::
noun
shine:
Put some polish on your shoes.
verb
buff:
Polish the brass in the lobby.
Simple Definitions
4
general::
In addition to the idioms beginning with POLISH, Also see SPIT AND POLISH.
American Heritage Idioms