(n.) A fatty, solid substance, produced by bees, and employed by them in the construction of their comb; -- usually called beeswax. It is first excreted, from a row of pouches along their sides, in the form of scales, which, being masticated and mixed with saliva, become whitened and tenacious. Its natural color is pale or dull yellow.
(n.) A substance similar to beeswax, secreted by several species of scale insects, as the Chinese wax. See Wax insect, below.
(n.) A substance, somewhat resembling wax, found in connection with certain deposits of rock salt and coal; -- called also mineral wax, and ozocerite.
(n.) A waxlike composition used by shoemakers for rubbing their thread.
(n.) A waxlike composition used for uniting surfaces, for excluding air, and for other purposes; as, sealing wax, grafting wax, etching wax, etc.
(n.) A waxlike product secreted by certain plants. See Vegetable wax, under Vegetable.
(n.) Cerumen, or earwax.
(n.) Hence, any substance resembling beeswax in consistency or appearance.
(n.) Thick sirup made by boiling down the sap of the sugar maple, and then cooling.
(v. i.) To increase in size; to grow bigger; to become larger or fuller; -- opposed to wane.
(v. i.) To pass from one state to another; to become; to grow; as, to wax strong; to wax warmer or colder; to wax feeble; to wax old; to wax worse and worse.
(v. t.) To smear or rub with wax; to treat with wax; as, to wax a thread or a table.