Webster's English Dictionary

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wax

Cross references:
  1. beeswax               
 
1. wax \'waks\ \'wak-.sli-k\ n [ME, fr. OE weax; akin to OHG wahs wax, Lith 
   vashachek>k]as 1: a substance secreted by bees and used by them for 
   constructing the honey  comb that is a dull yellow solid plastic when warm 
   and composed of a mixture of esters, cerotic acid, and hydrocarbons 2: any 
   of various substances resembling beeswax : as  2a: any of numerous 
   substances of plant or animal origin that differ from f ats in being less 
   greasy, harder, and more brittle and in containing principally esters of 
   higher fatty acids and higher alcohols, free higher acids and alcohols, and 
   saturated hydrocarbons 2b: a solid substance (as ozokerite or paraffin wax) 
   of mineral origin cons isting usu. of higher hydrocarbons 2c: a pliable or 
   liquid composition used esp. in uniting surfaces excluding  air, making 
   patterns or impressions, or producing a polished surface 2d: a resinous 
   preparation used by shoemakers for rubbing thread  3: something likened to 
   wax as soft, impressionable, or readily molded  4: a waxy secretion; esp : 
   CERUMEN  5: a phonograph recording  - wax.like aj
2. wax vt 1: to treat or rub with wax usu. for polishing or stiffening  2: 
   to record on phonograph records 
3. wax vi [ME waxen, fr. OE weaxan; akin to OHG wahsan to increase, 
   Gk]auxanein, L auge-re - more at EKE 1a: to increase in size, numbers, 
   strength, prosperity, or intensity  1b: to grow in volume or duration  1c: 
   to grow toward full development  2: to increase in phase or intensity - 
   used chiefly of the moon, other s atellites, and inferior planets 3: to 
   assume a (specified) characteristic, quality, or state : BECOME  {~ 
   indignant}
4. wax n [ME, fr. waxen to increase, grow] 1: INCREASE, GROWTH  2: the 
   period from the new moon to the full phase of the moon 
5. wax n [perh. fr. 3wax] : a fit of temper : RAGE