wax

noun

/wæks/

[uncountable]Idioms

a solid substance that is made from beeswax or from various fats and oils and used for making candles, polish, models, etc. It becomes soft when it is heated.蜡；蜂蜡；动物蜡；植物蜡；石蜡
- styling wax for the hair定型发蜡
- floor wax地板蜡
- wax crayons蜡笔
- wax polish上光蜡
see also paraffin wax, sealing wax
- The parcel was tied with string and sealed with wax.包裹用绳子捆着，用蜡封着。
- The sun through the window had melted the wax.透过窗户的阳光融化了蜡。
- Wax melts when subjected to heat.蜡受热时会熔化。
a soft, sticky yellow-brown substance that is found in your ears耳垢；耳屎

词源noun Old English wæx, weax, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch was and German Wachs. The verb dates from late Middle English.

Idioms

the whole ball of wax

(North American English, informal) the whole thing; everything整个；全部；一切
- I panicked, I cried—the whole ball of wax.我惊慌失措，我大喊大叫，所有的反应都做齐了。

wax

verb

/wæks/

动词形式

present simple I / you / we / they wax	/wæks/ /wæks/
he / she / it waxes	/ˈwæksɪz/ /ˈwæksɪz/
past simple waxed	/wækst/ /wækst/
past participle waxed	/wækst/ /wækst/
-ing form waxing	/ˈwæksɪŋ/ /ˈwæksɪŋ/

Idioms

[transitive] wax something to polish something with wax给…打蜡
[transitive, usually passive] wax something to cover something with wax给…上蜡；给…涂蜡
- waxed paper蜡纸
- a waxed jacket上过蜡的夹克
[transitive, often passive] wax something to remove hair from a part of the body using wax用蜡除去…上的毛
- to wax your legs/to have your legs waxed用蜡除去你腿上的毛
[intransitive] (of the moon月亮) to seem to get gradually bigger until its full form can be seen渐圆；渐满 opposite waneTopics Spacec2
[intransitive] + lyrical, eloquent, sentimental, etc. (formal) to become lyrical, etc. when speaking or writing说话变得（热情、雄辩、伤感等）起来
- He waxed lyrical on the food at the new restaurant.他对这家新餐馆的菜肴越说越来劲。
- He waxed eloquent about her talents as an actor.他滔滔不绝地讲述她作为演员的才华。

词源verb senses 1 to 3 Old English wæx, weax, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch was and German Wachs. The verb dates from late Middle English. verb senses 4 to 5 Old English weaxan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch wassen and German wachsen, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek auxanein and Latin augere ‘to increase’.

Idioms

wax and wane

(literary) to increase then decrease in strength, importance, etc. over a period of time（力量、重要性等）兴衰枯荣，盛衰；阴晴圆缺
- Public interest in the issue has waxed and waned over the years.这些年来公众对这个话题的兴趣时冷时热。
More Like This Alliteration in idioms
Alliteration in idioms
- belt and braces
- black and blue
- born and bred
- chalk and cheese
- chop and change
- done and dusted
- down and dirty
- in dribs and drabs
- eat somebody out of house and home
- facts and figures
- fast and furious
- first and foremost
- forgive and forget
- hale and hearty
- hem and haw
- kith and kin
- mix and match
- part and parcel
- puff and pant
- to rack and ruin
- rant and rave
- risk life and limb
- short and sweet
- signed and sealed
- spic and span
- through thick and thin
- this and that
- top and tail
- tried and tested
- wax and wane