Polish means to make something smooth and shiny by rubbing it, usually with a soft cloth or special substance. When you polish your shoes, you rub them with polish (a waxy substance, also called polish) until they gleam. Jewelers polish gemstones to bring out their sparkle. A chef might polish silverware until it reflects like a mirror.

The word also describes making something better through careful work and attention. A writer polishes a story by reading it over and over, fixing awkward sentences and choosing better words. A musician polishes a performance by practicing the tricky parts until they flow smoothly. When you polish your presentation for class, you're refining it, making it clearer and more confident.

Something polished can mean physically shiny, like a polished marble floor, or it can mean refined and skillful, like a polished performance. A polished person has good manners and social grace, someone whose behavior seems smooth and effortless (though it usually comes from lots of practice).

The phrase spit and polish refers to the thorough cleaning and shining of equipment, especially in military contexts, where soldiers might literally use spit to help shine their boots to a mirror-like finish.