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(), v. i.[imp.Waxed (); p. p.Waxed, and Obs. or Poetic Waxen (); p. pr. & vb. n.Waxing.] [AS. weaxan; akin to OFries. waxa, D. wassen, OS. & OHG. wahsan, G. wachsen, Icel. vaxa, Sw. vxa, Dan. voxe, Goth. wahsjan, Gr. to increase, Skr. waksh, uksh, to grow. . Cf. Waist.] 1. To increase in size; to grow bigger; to become larger or fuller; -- opposed to wane. The waxing and the waning of the moon. Hakewill. Truth's treasures . . . never shall wax ne wane. P. Plowman. 2. To pass from one state to another; to become; to grow; as, to wax strong; to wax warmer or colder; to wax feeble; to wax old; to wax worse and worse. Your clothes are not waxen old upon you. Deut. xxix. 5. Where young Adonis oft reposes, Waxing well of his deep wound. Milton. Waxing kernels (Med.), small tumors formed by the enlargement of the lymphatic glands, especially in the groins of children; -- popularly so called, because supposed to be caused by growth of the body. Dunglison. Wax n.[AS. weax; akin to OFries. wax, D. was, G. wachs, OHG. wahs, Icel. & Sw. vax, Dan. vox, Lith. vaszkas, Russ. vosk'.] 1. A fatty, solid substance, produced by bees, and employed by them in the construction of their comb; -- usually called beeswax. It is first excreted, from a row of pouches along their sides, in the form of scales, which, being masticated and mixed with saliva, become whitened and tenacious. Its natural color is pale or dull yellow. Beeswax consists essentially of cerotic acid (constituting the more soluble part) and of myricyl palmitate (constituting the less soluble part). 2. Hence, any substance resembling beeswax in consistency or appearance. Specifically: -- (a) (Physiol.) Cerumen, or earwax. See Cerumen. (b) A waxlike composition used for uniting surfaces, for excluding air, and for other purposes; as, sealing wax, grafting wax, etching wax, etc. (c) A waxlike composition used by shoemakers for rubbing their thread. (d) (Zol.) A substance similar to beeswax, secreted Wax (), v. t.[imp. & p. p.Waxed (); p. pr. & vb. n.Waxing.] To smear or rub with wax; to treat with wax; as, to wax a thread or a table. Waxed cloth, cloth covered with a coating of wax, used as a cover, of tables and for other purposes; -- called also wax cloth. Waxed end, a thread pointed with a bristle and covered with shoemaker's wax, used in sewing leather, as for boots, shoes, and the like; -- called also wax end. Brockett. スポンサード リンク
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