7  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Gloss  \Gloss\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Glossed};  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {Glossing}.] 
  To  give  a  superficial  luster  or  gloss  to  to  make  smooth  and 
  shining;  as  to  gloss  cloth. 
 
  The  glossed  and  gleamy  wave.  --J.  R.  Drake. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Gloss  \Gloss\,  n.  [Cf.  Icel.  glossi  a  blaze,  glys  finery,  MHG. 
  glosen  to  glow,  G.  glosten  to  glimmer;  perh.  akin  to  E. 
  glass.] 
  1.  Brightness  or  luster  of  a  body  proceeding  from  a  smooth 
  surface;  polish;  as  the  gloss  of  silk;  cloth  is 
  calendered  to  give  it  a  gloss. 
 
  It  is  no  part  .  .  .  to  set  on  the  face  of  this  cause 
  any  fairer  gloss  than  the  naked  truth  doth  afford. 
  --Hooker. 
 
  2.  A  specious  appearance;  superficial  quality  or  show 
 
  To  me  more  dear,  congenial  to  my  heart,  One  native 
  charm  than  all  the  gloss  of  art.  --Goldsmith. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Gloss  \Gloss\,  n.  [OE.  glose,  F.  glose,  L.  glossa  a  difficult 
  word  needing  explanation,  fr  Gr  ?  tongue,  language,  word 
  needing  explanation.  Cf  {Gloze},  {Glossary},  {Glottis}.] 
  1.  A  foreign,  archaic,  technical,  or  other  uncommon  word 
  requiring  explanation.  [Obs.] 
 
  2.  An  interpretation,  consisting  of  one  or  more  words 
  interlinear  or  marginal;  an  explanatory  note  or  comment;  a 
  running  commentary. 
 
  All  this  without  a  gloss  or  comment,  He  would 
  unriddle  in  a  moment.  --Hudibras. 
 
  Explaining  the  text  in  short  glosses.  --T.  Baker. 
 
  3.  A  false  or  specious  explanation.  --Dryden. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Gloss  \Gloss\,  v.  t. 
  1.  To  render  clear  and  evident  by  comments;  to  illustrate;  to 
  explain;  to  annotate. 
 
  2.  To  give  a  specious  appearance  to  to  render  specious  and 
  plausible;  to  palliate  by  specious  explanation. 
 
  You  have  the  art  to  gloss  the  foulest  cause 
  --Philips. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Gloss  \Gloss\,  v.  i. 
  1.  To  make  comments;  to  comment;  to  explain.  --Dryden. 
 
  2.  To  make  sly  remarks,  or  insinuations.  --Prior. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Glossa  \Glos"sa\,  n.;  pl  {Gloss?}.  [NL.,  fr  Gr  ?  the  tongue.] 
  (Zo["o]l.) 
  The  tongue,  or  lingua,  of  an  insect.  See  {Hymenoptera}. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  gloss 
  n  1:  an  explanation  or  definition  of  an  obscure  word  in  a  text 
  [syn:  {rubric}] 
  2:  an  alphabetical  list  of  technical  terms  in  some  specialized 
  field  of  knowledge;  usually  published  as  an  appendix  to  a 
  text  on  that  field  [syn:  {glossary}] 
  3:  the  property  of  being  smooth  and  shiny  [syn:  {polish},  {glossiness}, 
  {burnish}] 
  v  1:  make  shiny  [syn:  {polish},  {burnish}] 
  2:  provide  interlinear  explanations  for  words  or  phrases  [syn: 
  {comment}] 
  3:  provide  an  interlinear  translation  of  a  word  or  phrase 
  4:  gloss  or  excuse;  "color  a  lie"  [syn:  {color}] 

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