shellac

shell +‎ lac, calque of French laque en écailles (literally “lac in scales/shells”).

• IPA^(key): /ʃəˈlæk/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -æk

shellac (countable and uncountable, plural shellacs)

1. A processed secretion of the lac insect, Coccus lacca; used in polishes, varnishes etc.
2. (informal, US) A beating; a thrashing.

• E904 when used as a glazing agent

shellac (third-person singular simple present shellacs, present participle shellacking, simple past and past participle shellacked)

1. (transitive) To coat with shellac.
2. (informal, US, transitive) To beat; to thrash.
3. (informal, US, transitive) To inflict a heavy defeat upon.
   • 1987, George F. Will, The New Season: A Spectator's Guide to the 1988 Election, Simon and Schuster, page 21:

     In 1964 Goldwater ran rambunctiously, flat-out against government. He got shellacked.

   • 1987, Tim McCarver, Ray Robinson, Oh, Baby, I Love It!, Villard Books, page 220:

     In another the Mets were shellacked, 9-1, with a stray ninth-inning home run by Strawberry after two outs, preventing a shutout.