wax
wax
UK[wæks]US[wæks]
n
a solid, slightly shiny substance that becomes soft when warm and melts easily, used for making candles, polish, models, etc.
v
to put a thin layer of wax on a surface, especially to polish it or make it waterproof.
v
(of the moon) to appear to become gradually larger until its full form is visible.
v
(literary) to become larger, stronger, or more intense.
v
(archaic) to speak or write in a specified manner.
Etymology
the modern english verb "wax," meaning to grow or increase, originates from the old english verb "weaxan," which shares the same meaning. this old english term is part of the germanic language family, stemming from the proto-germanic wahsijaną, ultimately tracing back to the proto-indo-european root h₂wegʷs-, meaning "to grow, increase." intriguingly, the noun "wax," referring to the malleable substance, has a completely separate lineage, coming from old english "weax," from proto-germanic wahsą. despite their identical spelling in modern english, these are historically distinct words that converged in form. the semantic connection for the verb is clear and linear, moving from the literal sense of physical growth (as of the moon) to more abstract applications describing the increase of emotions, strength, or eloquence in speech.
Analysis
the modern english word "wax" is a simplex word derived from a single old english root.
Examples
she used a special wax to polish the antique wooden table.
the moon will wax over the next week until it is full.
as the evening progressed, he began to wax lyrical about his travels.