SANDPAPER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does sandpaper mean? 

• SANDPAPER (noun)
  The noun SANDPAPER has 1 sense:

1. stiff paper coated with powdered emery or sand

  Familiarity information: SANDPAPER used as a noun is very rare.

• SANDPAPER (verb)
  The verb SANDPAPER has 1 sense:

1. rub with sandpaper

  Familiarity information: SANDPAPER used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SANDPAPER (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Stiff paper coated with powdered emery or sand

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Synonyms:

emery paper; sandpaper

Hypernyms ("sandpaper" is a kind of...):

abradant; abrasive; abrasive material (a substance that abrades or wears down)

Meronyms (substance of "sandpaper"):

emery (a hard grey-black mineral consisting of corundum and either hematite or magnetite; used as an abrasive (especially as a coating on paper))

Derivation:

sandpaper (rub with sandpaper)

sandpapery (having the abrasive texture of sandpaper)

• SANDPAPER (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they sandpaper    ... he / she / it sandpapers   
Past simple: sandpapered   
Past participle: sandpapered   
-ing form: sandpapering   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Rub with sandpaper

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

sand; sandpaper

Context example:

sandpaper the wooden surface

Hypernyms (to "sandpaper" is one way to...):

smooth; smoothen (make smooth or smoother, as if by rubbing)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "sandpaper"):

rough-sand (sand roughly)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

sandpaper (stiff paper coated with powdered emery or sand)

 Context examples 

The harsh dry tongue grated like sandpaper against his cheek.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

The researchers gathered data on how Gary and two other birds land on different surfaces, including natural perches and artificial perches covered in foam, sandpaper and Teflon.

(Researchers study birds to improve how robots land, National Science Foundation)

After numbing the skin, a doctor removes the top layer of skin using sandpaper or a brush or burr (small file) that spins at a high speed.

(Dermabrasion, NCI Dictionary)