Gloss
Gloss (glos) , noun
[Compare Icelandic glossi a blaze, glys finery, Middle High German glosen to glow, German glosten to glimmer; perh. akin to English 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.
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.
Gloss , transitive verb
To give a superficial luster or gloss to; to make smooth and shining; as, to gloss cloth.
The glossed and gleamy wave.
Gloss , noun
[Old English glose, French glose, Latin glossa a difficult word needing explanation, from Greek {not transcribed} tongue, language, word needing explanation. Compare Gloze, Glossary, Glottis.]
1.
A foreign, archaic, technical, or other uncommon word requiring explanation. [Obsolete]
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.
Explaining the text in short glosses.
3.
A false or specious explanation. — Dryden
Gloss (glos) , transitive verb
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.
Gloss , intransitive verb
1.
To make comments; to comment; to explain. — Dryden
2.
To make sly remarks, or insinuations. — Prior