plaster
UK /ˈplɑːstə/ · US /ˈplæstɚ/ noun, verb, proper noun
Forms plasters plastering plastered plaister plastre
- noun (uncountable) A paste applied to the skin for healing or cosmetic purposes.
- noun (countable, UK, New Zealand, Canada) A small adhesive bandage to cover a minor wound; a sticking plaster.
- noun (uncountable) A mixture of lime or gypsum, sand, and water, sometimes with the addition of fibres, that hardens to a smooth solid and is used for coating walls and ceilings.
- noun A similar material used for exterior walls.
- noun (countable) A cast made of plaster of Paris and gauze; a plaster cast.
- noun (by ellipsis, uncountable) Plaster of Paris.
- verb (transitive) To cover or coat something with plaster; to render. “to plaster a wall”
- verb (transitive) To apply a plaster to. “to plaster a wound”
- verb (transitive) To smear with some viscous or liquid substance. “Her face was plastered with mud.”
- verb (transitive) To hide or cover up, as if with plaster; to cover thickly. “The radio station plastered the buses and trains with its advertisement.”
- verb (transitive) To cover a surface extensively with something, especially posters, pictures, or notices. “The workmen plastered the wall with pictures.”
- verb (transitive, figurative) To bombard heavily or overwhelmingly; to overwhelm (with weapons fire).
- verb (transitive, figurative) To smooth over.
- proper noun A surname.
Synonyms
render stucco grout plaster of Paris poultice cataplasm plasterwork adhesive plaster sticking plaster plaster over stick on beplaster daub
Etymology
From Middle English plaster, plastre, from Old English plaster, from late Latin plastrum, shortened from Classical Latin emplastrum (“a plaster, bandage”); later reinforced by Anglo-Norman plastre. Displaced native Old English clīþa.
The verb is from Middle English plastren, from the noun.
Webster’s 1913
- noun An external application of a consistency harder than ointment, prepared for use by spreading it on linen, leather, silk, or other material. It is adhesive at the ordinary temperature of the body, and is used, according to its composition, to produce a medicinal effect, to bind parts together, etc.; as, a porous plaster; sticking plaster.
- noun A composition of lime, water, and sand, with or without hair as a bond, for coating walls, ceilings, and partitions of houses. See Mortar.
- verb To cover with a plaster, as a wound or sore.
- verb To overlay or cover with plaster, as the ceilings and walls of a house.
Etymology [AS., a plaster (in sense 1), fr. L. emplastrum, Gr. plastre a plaster (in sense 2), F. plâtre. Cf. Plastic, Emplaster, Piaster.]
Etymology [Cf. OF. plastrer to plaster (in sense 2), F. plâtrer.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “plaster”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details