The expression “coffee break” was first attested in 1952 in glossy magazine advertisements by the Pan-American Coffee Bureau.
shellac, shellac varnish
(noun) a thin varnish made by dissolving lac in ethanol; used to finish wood
shellac
(noun) lac purified by heating and filtering; usually in thin orange or yellow flakes but sometimes bleached white
shellac, shellack
(verb) cover with shellac; “She wanted to shellac the desk to protect it from water spots”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
shellac (countable and uncountable, plural shellacs)
A processed secretion of the lac insect, Coccus lacca; used in polishes, varnishes etc.
(informal, US) A beating; a thrashing.
• E904 when used as a glazing agent
shellac (third-person singular simple present shellacs, present participle shellacking, simple past and past participle shellacked)
(transitive) To coat with shellac.
(informal, US, transitive) To beat; to thrash.
(informal, US, transitive) To inflict a heavy defeat upon.
Source: Wiktionary
Shel"lac`, Shell"-lac`, n. Etym: [Shell + lac a resinous substance; cf. D. shellak, G. schellack.]
Definition: See the Note under 2d Lac.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
26 March 2025
(noun) bandage consisting of a firm covering (often made of plaster of Paris) that immobilizes broken bones while they heal
The expression “coffee break” was first attested in 1952 in glossy magazine advertisements by the Pan-American Coffee Bureau.