What policy have you to bestow a benefit where it is counted an
injury?
Sir P. Sidney.
Syn. -- See Polity.
Pol"i*cy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Policied (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Policying.]
To regulate by laws; to reduce to order. [Obs.] "Policying of cities."
Bacon.
Pol"i*cy, n. [F. police; cf. Pr. polissia, Sp. pÛlizia, It. pÛlizza; of
uncertain origin; cf. L. pollex thumb (as being used in pressing the
seal), in LL. also, seal; or cf. LL. politicum, poleticum, polecticum,
L. polyptychum, account book, register, fr. Gr. &?; having many folds
or leaves; &?; many + &?; fold, leaf, from &?; to fold; or cf. LL.
apodixa a receipt.] 1. A ticket or warrant for money in the public
funds.
2. The writing or instrument in which a contract of insurance is
embodied; an instrument in writing containing the terms and conditions
on which one party engages to indemnify another against loss arising
from certain hazards, perils, or risks to which his person or property
may be exposed. See Insurance.
3. A method of gambling by betting as to what numbers will be drawn in
a lottery; as, to play policy.
Interest policy, a policy that shows by its form that the assured has a
real, substantial interest in the matter insured. -- Open policy, one
in which the value of the goods or property insured is not mentioned.
-- Policy book, a book to contain a record of insurance policies. --
Policy holder, one to whom an insurance policy has been granted. --
Policy shop, a gambling place where one may bet on the numbers which
will be drawn in lotteries. -- Valued policy, one in which the value of
the goods, property, or interest insured is specified. -- Wager policy,
a policy that shows on the face of it that the contract it embodies is
a pretended insurance, founded on an ideal risk, where the insured has
no interest in anything insured.
Pol"ing (?), n. [From Pole a stick.] 1. The act of supporting or of
propelling by means of a pole or poles; as, the poling of beans; the
poling of a boat.
2. (Gardening) The operation of dispersing worm casts over the walks
with poles.
3. One of the poles or planks used in upholding the side earth in
excavating a tunnel, ditch, etc.
Pol"ish (?), a. [From Pole a Polander.] Of or pertaining to Poland or
its inhabitants. - - n. The language of the Poles.
Pol"ish (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Polished (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Polishing.] [F. polir, L. polire. Cf. Polite, -ish] 1. To make smooth
and glossy, usually by friction; to burnish; to overspread with luster;
as, to polish glass, marble, metals, etc.
2. Hence, to refine; to wear off the rudeness, coarseness, or rusticity
of; to make elegant and polite; as, to polish life or manners. Milton.
To polish off, to finish completely, as an adversary. [Slang] W. H.
Russell.
Pol"ish, v. i. To become smooth, as from friction; to receive a gloss;
to take a smooth and glossy surface; as, steel polishes well. Bacon.
Pol"ish, n. 1. A smooth, glossy surface, usually produced by friction;
a gloss or luster.
Another prism of clearer glass and better polish.
Sir I. Newton.