Gloss

At the bus stop this morning, I found myself wondering where "to gloss over" came from. Is it to hide something behind a shiny surface, or to explain it away? And how did those two meanings grow out of each other?

Turns out they didn't:

gloss (1) "luster," 1538, from Scand. (cf. Icelandic glossi "flame," related to glossa "to flame"), or obsolete Du. gloos "a glowing," from M.H.G. glos.

gloss (2) "word inserted as an explanation," 1548, gloze, from L. glossa "obsolete or foreign word," from Gk. glossa (Ionic), glotta (Attic) "obscure word, language," lit. "tongue." Extended sense of "explain away" is 1638, from idea of a note inserted in the margin of a text to explain a difficult word.

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=gloss

Still not clear on which was the source for "gloss over," but at least I can stop wondering how 'explanatory note' = 'shiny surface.'


Today's earrings: coffee cups, teapots

Bedtime reading: Jingo, Terry Pratchett