shellac

Meanings

Plural: shellacs

Noun

• lac purified by heating and filtering; usually in thin orange or yellow flakes but sometimes bleached white
• a thin varnish made by dissolving lac in ethanol; used to finish wood
• A processed secretion of the lac insect, Coccus lacca; used in polishes, varnishes etc.
• A beating; a thrashing.

Verb

• cover with shellac
  • "She wanted to shellac the desk to protect it from water spots"
• To coat with shellac.
• To beat; to thrash.
• To inflict a heavy defeat upon.

Synonyms

E904 when used as a glazing agent, shellac varnish, shellack