1A sticky yellowish moldable substance secreted by honeybees as the material of honeycomb; beeswax.

1. 1.1 A white translucent material obtained by bleaching and purifying beeswax and used for such purposes as making candles, modeling, and as a basis of polishes.
   蜡
   Example sentencesExamples

   • It was just a shame that the high price of candle wax forced her to rely mainly on oil lamps.
   • Who first thought of dipping a reed or some other substance into wax or tallow?
   • Modeling wax is great fun as children use the warmth of their hands to shape pieces of wax into animals, figures or whatever their imaginations conjure.
   • The raindrops ran like melted wax on his white cheeks.
   • The jug had been sealed with a large disc of cork, onto which about half an inch of translucent wax had been poured as an airtight seal.
   • Ask whether the model needs sealing with wax or varnish, or is pre-finished.
   • White wax finds use in cosmetics purely because it presents a better appearance.
   • If you have been using a paste furniture wax like beeswax and you see ripples, you have applied too much.
   • Raw pigments and heated wax create translucent textures and surfaces.
   • The tears were the silent burning kind that slide down your cheeks like hot wax down a candle.
   • Common finishes include wax, varnish, and oil- or water-based polyurethane.
   • There needs to be enough wax on the paper to fight back the paint.
   • If the finish is waxed, do not use oiled or treated cloths, as they may make the wax sticky.
2. 1.2 A viscous substance, typically a lipid or hydrocarbon.
   类似蜡的黏性物质（尤指液体或碳氢化合物）
   Example sentencesExamples

   • Desirée stifled a laugh as she swept the candles and bits of wax into a dustpan.
   • Most candles contain paraffin, a petroleum-based wax that produces black soot when burned.
   • The wax that the Stanford scientists chose isn't exactly dinner-table candle wax, but it's pretty close.
   • Cigarette burns are part of the inevitable aftermath of most parties, as is spilt candle wax.
   • The fire was believed to have been caused by candle wax dripping on to paper.
   • One way of removing built-up floor wax manually, is to mix detergent and ammonia with water and apply to the floor with a mop or sponge.
   • He experimented by exposing paraffin wax to crushed Salvia leaves and found the solid wax readily adsorbed the volatile terpenes from the air.
   • Modern lubricants are either petroleum or synthetic chemicals, sometimes with a bit of wax thrown in.
   • It's also a good idea to wax your wood floor once a year with a good solvent-based liquid or paste wax.
   • Successful operation of any lava lamp depends on this relationship between the density of water and wax.
   • Candle wax is resistant to water and any water-soluble cleaner.
   • Those glossy red apples from California may look wonderful on our supermarket shelves but they do so because they're coated with a wax made from pig fat and I simply don't fancy them.
   • Jillian and Graham sat on either side of a silver-plated candelabrum, its twin red candles dripping wax onto the paper tablecloth, empty coffee cups in front of them.
   • The shop has a range of delicate snowmen, deer, bears, angels and various Christmas specials made of wax and resin.
   • Along the streets lamps were covered in flowers, icons and hand-written messages, stuck up with coloured candle wax.
   • Then of course, there was the task of cleaning up all of the candle wax and wine-soaked altar cloth.
   • You may protect the finish with a liquid furniture wax or cream polish that gives the desired gloss.
   • The room was ablaze with white wax candles, and the walls were slats of wood, smooth and splinterless mahogany brown in color.
   • The chapel stank of expensive perfume, incense, and candle wax.
   • By tomorrow morning the cleaners will have erased it with bleach, floor wax and silicone polish.
   • Once again, wipe the surface clean and if you wish you can apply a coat of paste wax or liquid polish.
   • In the attendant chaos of too many people in one room, someone dropped hot wax from a burning candle on her bare hand.
   • When mixed with oil or wax, high explosives become like clay.
   • At York, the timbers were immersed for two years in tanks of aqueous polyethylene glycol, a water-soluble wax used to replace the water in the wood.
3. 1.3 Earwax.
   耳垢，耳屎
   Example sentencesExamples

   • Each of us naturally secretes varying amounts of wax into the ear canal.
   • If you continue to get a build-up of wax in your ears then you may find that using ear drops regularly helps the wax drain out.
   • Wax can usually be easily removed.
4. 1.4informal Used in reference to phonograph records.
   〈非正式〉唱片
   he didn't get on wax until 1959

   他直到1959年才出唱片。

   Example sentencesExamples

   • He'll be sitting in here and there with the band when his services aren't needed on wax.
   • He seems to be spending more time on screen than on wax.
   • I feel like I can chart my last ten years via your last ten on wax.
   • So I definitely saw it before it got on wax, and I've seen it change so much.
   • Joining them is someone who is much better live then he is on wax.
   • So what would make three of the most influential artists in New York decide to do that on wax?
   • The reason was that they didn't want to hear the band on wax; they just wanted to see them perform.
   • It's all music you know; he thinks he's the best; I think I'm the best, and we battle it out on wax, that's all.
   • Hitting more bum notes than an inexperienced boy band isn't easy, but recording it and committing it to wax is another thing.

1Cover or treat (something) with wax or a similar substance, typically to polish or protect it.

我清洗了地板，并且打了蜡。

1. 1.1 Remove unwanted hair from (a part of the body) by applying wax and then peeling off the wax and hairs together.
   用蜡除去（身体部位）的毛发
   Example sentencesExamples

   • Although it's safe to say that body waxes are generally more popular among gay men than heterosexual males, waxing your body hair has nothing to do with your sexuality.
   • It took a lot of effort to keep his body hair manageable - waxing his chest took almost an hour, and using the number two clippers on his arms and legs was a constant annoyance.
   • Some might like the concept of waxing their armpits.
   • That night, even though she doesn't have waxed eyebrows or manicured nails or a trendy haircut, I take my wife out for dinner.
   • Robert has already had his arms and legs waxed to remove unwanted hair.
   • I would certainly not be waxing any body hair of mine.
   • For years he's been saying that boys are sick of being bossed about by liberated mothers, and of being brainwashed into becoming touchy-feely drips who grow up to wear earrings, go shopping and get their chest hair waxed.
   • I exercise, I have good hygiene, I try to wear what flatters me, I even went so far as to get my legs waxed and my hair done.
   • From dressing for a beach wedding to waxing your body hair and tucking in shirts properly, we've got your fashion fix.
   • Tim recalls being afraid the first time he had his eyebrows waxed seven years ago, and Harry admits to similar fears.

2informal Make a recording of.

他灌制了一系列以突出他主吉他作品的唱片。

1(of the moon between new and full) have a progressively larger part of its visible surface illuminated, increasing its apparent size.

1. 1.1literary Become larger or stronger.
   〈诗/文〉变大，增强
   his anger waxed

   他的火气更大了。

   Example sentencesExamples

   • And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom.
   • After a tight first set hewaxed in confidence and played better and better.
   • That feeling waxed strongest in Sydney, where a coalition of small interests, organised by Henry Parkes and pursuing populist ends, developed before 1850.
   • Certainly that was his formulation in the early years, that as the child's objectivity waxed, so to speak, so his imagination and fantasy life would be inclined to wane.
   • As the junta faltered, Yeltsin waxed stronger and by the end of the year the Communist Party had been banned and the Soviet Union condemned to history - all because one man had grasped the moment.

   Synonyms

   increase, grow, develop, rise, expand, swell, enlarge, magnify, extend, escalate, deepen, intensify, widen, broaden, spread, mushroom, snowball
2. 1.2with complement Begin to speak or write about something in the specified manner.
   （在谈起或写到某事物时）变得
   they waxed lyrical about the old days

   他们在谈到往昔的日子时变得热情奔放起来。

   Example sentencesExamples

   • There are also way too many irrelevant talking heads waxing poetic about the meaning of the movie.
   • He waxed poetic as he described the trips he had taken in search of exotic worlds, all on guided tours.
   • So, everyone's waxing nostalgic in some way or another, from designers and critics to the audience.
   • He began to wax eloquent on what was wrong with it.
   • Remarkably she agreed, waxing poetic about the possibilities such an article would elicit.
   • Here he waxes all poetic about eagles and relaxing in the sun.
   • We were talking the other night about family, and he began to wax poetic about his dearly departed grandmother.
   • Clausewitz waxes almost poetic on the subject of friction, showering the reader with metaphors for the reality of war, something the reader may well never have experienced.
   • He waxes nostalgic about his life, his family, and what has happened to them over the past few months.
   • She was just about to start waxing poetic about it, when she was startled by Morgan appearing at her front door.
   • Despite constant pressure from New York City media and fans longing for an NBA championship after a 30-year drought, Thomas waxes positive on his team and his position.
   • The vice commander had one of the new radio-phones and was waxing poetic about the possibilities of having his phone and radio in a single device.
   • She waxes amusing about the trials of boys wanting to play like girls and even brings along her hubby, Ben.
   • Frankly, I am a little surprised to see him waxing nostalgic about any decision by John French - but there you go.
   • One writer in the early eighteenth century waxed poetic about how these poor good women labored such long hours to support their families - but he was responding to an attack on them.
   • I shared a cab with strangers bound for the Quarter and listened to my fellow passengers wax nostalgically about past trips to New Orleans.
   • Provincial and federal politicians wax poetic about the issue, but never seem to put their taxation or legislative powers where their mouths are.
   • I was waxing nostalgic to a friend about the old British Library Reading Room.
   • I didn't want to be one of those gushing fans that waxes poetic and overuses the words ‘cool’ and ‘awesome.’
   • Neither man waxes poetic about getting close to God or the purity of creation.
   • He waxed increasingly lyrical with statements such as: ‘We are not just creating a sports park, we are creating a community.’

   Synonyms

   become, grow, get, come to be, turn

   become enthusiastic, enthuse, rave, gush, get carried away

usually in singular A fit of anger.

她对婚礼没能准时举行非常生气。