Definition of "shellac" [shel•lac]

• A purified lac in the form of thin yellow or orange flakes, often bleached white and widely used in varnishes, paints, inks, sealants, and formerly in phonograph records. (noun)
• A thin varnish made by dissolving this substance in denatured alcohol, used to finish wood. (noun)
• An old phonograph record containing this substance, typically played at 78 rpm. (noun)
• To coat or finish with shellac. (verb-transitive)
• Slang To strike repeatedly and severely; batter. (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "The important things are to keep the shellac cup and brush for _shellac only_, (indeed, it is"
• "Perhaps the spray from his orange-tan or hair shellac is getting to him."
• "The suggestion for white pigmented shellac is a good one, but not for the purpose of sealing the algae in, but to keep moisture out."