plastic

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plas·tic

(plăs′tĭk)

adj.

1. Capable of being shaped or formed: plastic material such as clay. See Synonyms at malleable.

2. Relating to or dealing with shaping or modeling: the plastic art of sculpture.

3. Having the qualities of sculpture; well-formed: "the astonishing plastic beauty of the chorus girls" (Frank Harris).

4. Giving form or shape to a substance: the plastic forces that create and wear down a mountain range.

5. Easily influenced; impressionable: "The plastic mind of the bank clerk had been ... distorted by what he had read" (Rudyard Kipling).

6. Made of a plastic or plastics: a plastic garden hose.

7. Physics Capable of undergoing continuous deformation without rupture or relaxation.

8. Biology

a. Capable of building tissue; formative.

b. Able to change and adapt, especially by acquiring alternative pathways for sensory perception or motor skills. Used of the central nervous system.

9. Marked by artificiality or superficiality: a plastic world of fad, hype, and sensation.

10. Informal Of or obtained by means of credit cards: plastic money.

1. Any of various organic compounds produced by polymerization, capable of being molded, extruded, cast into various shapes and films, or drawn into filaments used as textile fibers.

2. Informal A credit card or credit cards: would accept cash or plastic in payment.

[Latin plasticus, from Greek plastikos, from plastos, molded, from plassein, to mold; see pelə- in Indo-European roots.]

plas′ti·cal·ly adv.

plas·tic′i·ty (-tĭs′ĭ-tē) n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

plastic

(ˈplæstɪk; ˈplɑːs-)

1. (Chemistry) any one of a large number of synthetic usually organic materials that have a polymeric structure and can be moulded when soft and then set, esp such a material in a finished state containing plasticizer, stabilizer, filler, pigments, etc. Plastics are classified as thermosetting (such as Bakelite) or thermoplastic (such as PVC) and are used in the manufacture of many articles and in coatings, artificial fibres, etc. Compare resin²

2. (Banking & Finance) short for plastic money

adj

3. made of plastic

4. easily influenced; impressionable: the plastic minds of children.

5. capable of being moulded or formed

6. (Art Terms) fine arts

a. of or relating to moulding or modelling: the plastic arts.

b. produced or apparently produced by moulding: the plastic draperies of Giotto's figures.

7. having the power to form or influence: the plastic forces of the imagination.

8. (Biology) biology of or relating to any formative process; able to change, develop, or grow: plastic tissues.

9. (Surgery) of or relating to plastic surgery

10. slang superficially attractive yet unoriginal or artificial: plastic food.

[C17: from Latin plasticus relating to moulding, from Greek plastikos, from plassein to form]

ˈplastically, ˈplasticly adv

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

plas•tic

(ˈplæs tɪk)

n.

1. any of a group of synthetic or natural organic materials that may be shaped when soft and then hardened, including many types of resins, resinoids, polymers, cellulose derivatives, casein materials, and proteins.

2. a credit card, or credit cards collectively.

3. credit represented by the use of credit cards.

4. an object or objects made of plastic.

adj.

5. made of plastic.

6. capable of being molded.

7. produced by molding.

8. having the power to mold or shape material: the plastic forces of nature.

9. concerned with or pertaining to molding or modeling; sculptural.

10. pliable; impressionable: the plastic mind of youth.

11. artificial or synthetic.

12. insincere; phony: a plastic smile.

13. pertaining to the use of credit cards: plastic credit.

14. Mech. able to deform continuously and permanently without rupturing.

15. Biol. formative (def. 3).

16. of or pertaining to plastic surgery.

[1625–35; < Latin plasticus that may be molded < Greek plastikós. See -plast, -ic]

plas′ti•cal•ly, plas′tic•ly, adv.

-plastic

a combining form occurring in adjectives that correspond to nouns ending in -plasia, -plast, or -plasty: anaplastic; chloroplastic; heteroplastic.

[see plastic]

plas·tic

(plăs′tĭk)

Noun

Any of numerous artificial compounds formed by linking simple chemical units into giant molecules called polymers. Plastics are soft or liquid when heated. They can be molded into objects, pressed into thin layers, and drawn into fibers for use in textiles.

Adjective

Capable of being molded or formed into a shape.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

plastic

aglet - The plastic or metal covering on the end of a shoelace (formerly called the point) that makes it easier to thread through the eyelet holes.
plastic - From Greek plastos, "to form, mold."
plastic surgery - Dates to 1837; "plastic" is used in the sense of "molding, shaping."
velo binding - A type of document fastener using a narrow strip of plastic on the front and back and attached with thin plastic pegs through the pages; also called velobind.

plastic

(in a painting) Conveying a three-dimensional impression through the modeling and movement of the figures.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	plastic - generic name for certain synthetic or semisynthetic materials that can be molded or extruded into objects or films or filaments or used for making e.g. coatings and adhesives ABS, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene - any of a class of composite plastics used to make car bodies and cases for computers and other appliances Mylar - a thin polyester film thermoplastic, thermoplastic resin - a material that softens when heated and hardens again when cooled thermosetting compositions, thermosetting resin - a material that hardens when heated and cannot be remolded Bakelite - a thermosetting plastic used as electric insulators and for making plastic ware and telephone receivers etc. polytetrafluoroethylene, Teflon - a trademark for a material used to coat cooking utensils and in industrial applications where sticking is to be avoided Vinylite - any of various vinyl resins resinoid - a plastic containing resins amino plastic, amino resin, aminoplast - a plastic (synthetic resin) made from amino compounds; used as an adhesive and as a coating for paper and textiles cellulosic - a plastic made from cellulose (or a derivative of cellulose) coumarone resin, coumarone-indene resin - a thermoplastic resin obtained by polymerization of indene and coumarone; used in coatings and paint and asphalt tile fluorocarbon plastic - a plastic made with fluorocarbon phenolic plastic, phenolic urea - a plastic consisting of phenolic resins polyester - a complex ester used for making fibers or resins or plastics or as a plasticizer polypropene, polypropylene - a polymer of propylene used as a thermoplastic molding material polyvinyl-formaldehyde - a polymer of vinyl formaldehyde silicone resin - a polymeric silicone compound solid - matter that is solid at room temperature and pressure vinyl - shiny and tough and flexible plastic; used especially for floor coverings
	2.	plastic - a card (usually plastic) that assures a seller that the person using it has a satisfactory credit rating and that the issuer will see to it that the seller receives payment for the merchandise delivered; "do you take plastic?" charge card, charge plate, credit card magnetic stripe - a short strip of magnetic tape attached to a credit card or debit card; it contains data that will tell a reading device who you are and what your account number is, etc. positive identification - evidence proving that you are who you say you are; evidence establishing that you are among the group of people already known to the system; recognition by the system leads to acceptance; "a system for positive identification can prevent the use of a single identity by several people" charge account credit, open-end credit, revolving credit - a consumer credit line that can be used up to a certain limit or paid down at any time bank card - a credit card issued by a bank calling card, phone card - a card that is used instead of cash to make telephone calls cash card, cashcard - a credit card that entitles the holder to receive cash
Adj.	1.	plastic - capable of being molded or modeled (especially of earth or clay or other soft material); "plastic substances such as wax or clay" moldable, fictile elastic - capable of resuming original shape after stretching or compression; springy; "an elastic band"; "a youthful and elastic walk"
	2.	plastic - capable of being influenced or formed; "the plastic minds of children"; "a pliant nature" pliant impressible, impressionable, waxy - easily impressed or influenced; "an impressionable youngster"; "an impressionable age"; "a waxy mind"
	3.	plastic - forming or capable of forming or molding or fashioning; "a formative influence"; "a formative experience" shaping, formative constructive - constructing or tending to construct or improve or promote development; "constructive criticism"; "a constructive attitude"; "a constructive philosophy"; "constructive permission"

plastic

adjective

1. (Slang) false, artificial, synthetic, superficial, sham, pseudo (informal), spurious, specious, meretricious, phoney or phony (informal) When girls wear too much make-up, they look plastic.
false natural, real, true, genuine, authentic, sincere, dinkum (Austral & N.Z. informal)

2. pliant, soft, flexible, supple, pliable, tensile, ductile, mouldable, fictile The mud is as soft and plastic as butter.
pliant hard, stiff, rigid, brittle, inflexible, unyielding, unbending

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

plastic

adjective

1. Capable of being shaped, bent, or drawn out, as by hammering or pressure:

ductile, flexible, flexile, flexuous, malleable, moldable, pliable, pliant, supple, workable.

2. Changing easily, as in expression:

changeable, fluid, mobile.

3. Easily altered or influenced:

ductile, elastic, flexible, flexile, impressionable, malleable, pliable, pliant, suggestible, supple.

4. Physics. Capable of withstanding stress without injury:

elastic, flexible, flexile, resilient, springy, supple.

5. Marked by unnaturalness, pretension, and often a slavish love of fads:

artificial, factitious, synthetic, unnatural.

Translations

بِلاسْتِيكبْلاسْتيكيبِلاسْتِيكِيّ

tvárnýumělá hmotaumělohmotnýplastplastický

plasticplastikuægte

Kunststoff Plastik Plastik-...Plastikgeld plastisch

πλαστικό πλαστικός

plástico de plástico maleable moldeable

muovimuovi-muovinen

plastique

plastikaplastičan

alakíthatóhitelkártyaműanyagplasztikkártya

plastauîmótanlegur

plastica plastico di plastica

プラスチックプラスチックの

플라스틱플라스틱의

plastic plastiek plastisch kunststof

plast plast-plastisk

plastik plastikowy

plástico de plástico

пластмасса пластмассовый пластический

plastickýplastikplastikový

plastičenplastika

plast

ซึ่งทำด้วยพลาสติกวัตถุพลาสติก

plastikplâstik

bằng nhựanhựa

塑料塑料的可塑的塑性的

plastic

[ˈplæstɪk]

A. N

1. → plástico m
to be made of plastic → ser de plástico

2. plastics → (materiales mpl) plásticos mpl

3. (= credit cards) → plástico m

B. ADJ

1. (= made of plastic) [container etc] → de plástico

2. (= flexible) → plástico

3. (pej) (= artificial) [smile] → falso, de plástico; [person] → de plástico, superficial

C. CPD the plastic arts NPL → las artes plásticas
plastic bag N → bolsa f de plástico
plastic bullet N → bala f de goma
plastic explosive N → goma f dos
plastic mac N (Brit) → impermeable m
plastic money N → dinero m de plástico
plastic sheeting N → plástico m en planchas
plastics industry N → industria f del plástico
plastic surgeon N → cirujano/a m/f plástico/a
plastic surgery N → cirugía f plástica or estética
to have plastic surgery → hacerse la cirugía plástica or estética
plastic wrap N (US) → film m adherente (para envolver alimentos)

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

plastic

[ˈplæstɪk]

(= material) → plastique m
It's made of plastic → C'est en plastique.

(also plastic money) to use plastic to pay for sth → payer qch par carte
Using plastic to pay for an order is simplicity itself → Payer une commande par carte est la simplicité même.

adj

(= made of plastic) [cup, ball, bottle, bowl, bucket, chair, cutlery, pipe, tray] → en plastique
a plastic mac → un imperméable en plastique

(pejorative) (= unnatural) [food, appearance, smile] → artificiel(le)

(= flexible) → plastique, malléable

(ART) → plastique
the plastic arts → les arts plastiquesplastic bag n → sac m en plastiqueplastic bullet n → balle f en plastiqueplastic explosive n → plastic m

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

plastic

→ Plastik nt; plastics → Kunststoffe pl

(inf: = credit cards) → Kreditkarten pl, → Plastikkarten pl (inf)

adj

(= made of plastic) → Plastik-, aus Plastik; (pej inf) person → synthetisch; smile → aufgesetzt, gekünstelt; pub → steril; plastic bottle → Plastikflasche f; plastic food (pej inf) → Plastikessen nt (inf)

(= flexible) → formbar (also fig), → modellierbar (also fig), → plastisch; the plastic arts → die gestaltenden Künste

(Med) → plastisch

plastic

plastic bag

n → Plastiktüte f

plastic bomb

n → Plastikbombe f

plastic bullet

n → Plastikgeschoss nt

plastic explosive

n → Plastiksprengstoff m

plastic

plastic money

n (inf) → Plastikgeld nt

plastics industry

n → Kunststoffindustrie f

plastic surgeon

n → plastischer Chirurg

plastic surgery

n → plastische Chirurgie; (= cosmetic operation) → Schönheitsoperation f; he had to have plastic → er musste sich einer Gesichtsoperation unterziehen; she decided to have plastic on her nose → sie entschloss sich zu einer Schönheitsoperation an ihrer Nase

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

plastic

[ˈplæstɪk]

1. n → plastica, materia plastica
plastics → materie fpl plastiche

2. adj

a. (made of plastic) → di plastica

b. (flexible) → plastico/a
plastic behaviour (Phys) → plasticità
the plastic arts → le arti plastiche

plaster

(ˈplaːstə) noun

1. (also adjective) (of) a substance put on walls, ceilings etc which dries to form a hard smooth surface. He mixed up some plaster to repair the wall; a plaster ceiling.

2. (also adjective) (also plaster of Paris) (of) a similar quick-drying substance used for supporting broken limbs, making models etc. She's got her arm in plaster; a plaster model.

3. (also ˈsticking-plaster ; American Band-Aid) (a piece of) sticky tape (sometimes with a dressing) used to cover a wound etc. You should put a plaster on that cut.

verb

1. to put plaster on. They plastered the walls.

2. to spread or apply rather too thickly. She'd look nicer if she didn't plaster so much make-up on her face.

ˈplasterer noun

a person whose job is to put plaster on walls, ceilings etc.

plastic (ˈplӕstik) noun, adjective

(of) any of many chemically manufactured substances that can be moulded when still soft. This cup is made of plastic; a plastic cup.

adjective

easily made into different shapes.

plastic surgery surgery to repair or replace damaged skin, or to improve the appearance usually of the face ( noun plastic surgeon)

plastic

→ بِلاسْتِيك, بِلاسْتِيكِيّ umělá hmota, umělohmotný plastic, uægte aus Plastik, Kunststoff πλαστικό, πλαστικός de plástico, plástico muovi, muovi- plastique plastičan, plastika di plastica, plastica プラスチック, プラスチックの 플라스틱, 플라스틱의 plastic plast, plast- plastik, plastikowy de plástico, plástico пластмасса, пластмассовый plast ซึ่งทำด้วยพลาสติก, วัตถุพลาสติก plastik bằng nhựa, nhựa 塑料, 塑料的

plas·tic

n. plástico;

a. plástico-a.

plastic

n plástico

References in classic literature ?

Particularly sculpturesque and plastic, so to say, and richly colored is that passage where you feel Cordelia's approach, where woman, das ewig Weibliche, enters into conflict with fate.

View in context

It clung to me for some time, monstrous, half conviction and half hope as to its body, with an iridescent tail of dreams and with a changeable head like a plastic mask.

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I had an imagination and a curiosity about all things that made me plastic. Not least among the things I was curious about was the saloon.

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So great envy had this sack occasioned, that when Mr Allworthy and the other gentry were gone from church, the rage, which had hitherto been confined, burst into an uproar; and, having vented itself at first in opprobrious words, laughs, hisses, and gestures, betook itself at last to certain missile weapons; which, though from their plastic nature they threatened neither the loss of life or of limb, were however sufficiently dreadful to a well-dressed lady.

View in context

Her mind, too, is plastic. She has few prejudices."

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He is purely objective; and he, too, is very plastic.

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His mind was fresh and plastic, and by nature he was very ethical.

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What kind or degree of unity is to be sought after in a building, in the plastic arts, in poetry, in prose, is a problem which has to be determined relatively to the subject-matter.

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These belong to a type which Nietzsche did not altogether dislike, but which he would fain have rendered more subtle and plastic. It is the type that takes life and itself too seriously, that never surmounts the camel- stage mentioned in the first discourse, and that is obdurately sublime and earnest.

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If I have a prejudice connected with money and money figures,' continued Doyce, laying that plastic workman's thumb of his on the lapel of his partner's coat, 'it is against speculating.

View in context

The sodden eyes had kept something of the loveliness of their blue, the noble curves had not yet completely passed away from chiselled nostrils and from plastic throat.

View in context

I have mentioned his dark locks--they were brushed sideways above a white and sufficiently expansive forehead; his cheek had a rather hectic freshness; his features might have done well on canvas, but indifferently in marble: they were plastic; character had set a stamp upon each; expression re-cast them at her pleasure, and strange metamorphoses she wrought, giving him now the mien of a morose bull, and anon that of an arch and mischievous girl; more frequently, the two semblances were blent, and a queer, composite countenance they made.