Glaze is a smooth, glossy coating that gives something a shiny surface. When a potter glazes a clay bowl, she applies a special liquid that hardens into a glassy finish when heated in a kiln, making the bowl waterproof and beautiful. Bakers glaze donuts with a sweet, shiny coating of sugar and milk. An artist might glaze a painting by applying thin, transparent layers of color that create depth and luminosity.

The word also describes what happens to your eyes when you stop paying attention. When you glaze over during a long, boring lecture, your eyes get a distant, unfocused look, like windows covered in frost. Your mind has wandered off somewhere more interesting while your body stays in place.

In recent years, people have started using glazed to describe a trendy style of smooth, glossy makeup or nails. Someone might want glazed donut nails with a pearly, shimmery finish.

As a verb, to glaze means to apply any of these coatings. Whether you're glazing pottery, pastries, or windows, you're creating a smooth, shiny surface that catches the light.