shellac

plural shellacs

1. countableuncountableA processed secretion of the lac insect, Coccus lacca; used in polishes, varnishes etc.

   But, she says, a wartime ban on recordings using shellac and vinyl kept the Walker version from being released.

   2002 April 29, Norman Pearlstine, “A Month Of Mondays If that doesn't give you the blues, nothing will. Norman Pearlstine ranks his favorite versions of the classic "Stormy Monday Blues"--one for every doggone working day of the month.”, in CNN Money, archived from the original on 08 Feb 2022

   1 more example

   At the turn of the century, the ever-expanding electrical industry was running low on shellac, a resin secreted by the female lac bug which could be used as an insulating material.

   2019 November 5, Alice Bell, “Can science break its plastic addiction?”, in CNN

2. UScountableinformaluncountableA beating; a thrashing.

present singular third person shellacs · participle present shellacking · participle past shellacked · past shellacked

1. transitiveTo coat with shellac.
2. USinformaltransitiveTo beat; to thrash.
3. USinformaltransitiveTo inflict a heavy defeat upon.

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

   1987, George F. Will, The New Season: A Spectator's Guide to the 1988 Election, Simon and Schuster, page 21

   2 more examples

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

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

   [Former Arizona GOP Senator Jeff Flake] warns Republicans could be on track for a shellacking in the midterms[.]

   2026 June 18, Claudia Grisales, “They're leaving Congress with nothing to lose, spelling potential trouble for Trump”, in National Public Radio, Washington, D.C.: National Public Radio