Verbs for sandpaper

Question

What is the verb for applying a sandpaper? Or sandpaper itself is a verb? Possible candidates for me is apply, imply, use. Also, may I say that I smoothen something with a sandpaper.

Note that "sandpaper" is an uncountable noun. I have some sandpaper. I have 3 sheets of sandpaper. But "I have a sandpaper" is incorrect — John Feltz, Dec 02 '16 at 05:38
One minor note: Smoothen is very rare and old-fashioned in American English; we would just say smooth as in use sandpaper to smooth* the surface* or I smoothed* the wood with sandpaper*. — 1006a, Dec 02 '16 at 18:43

score 26 · Answer 1 · edited Dec 02 '16 at 05:37

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What you're looking for is sand. Merriam-Webster defines this verb as:

to smooth or dress by grinding or rubbing with an abrasive (as sandpaper)

So in an example sentence like "You should use sandpaper on that block," it would be:

You should sand that block.

edited Dec 02 '16 at 05:37

John Feltz

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answered Dec 02 '16 at 02:27

CHEESE

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or use "sand down" to remove some ambiguity. – rackandboneman Dec 02 '16 at 13:45
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@rackandboneman "Sand down" is only really used if there's a particular protrusion you're interested in removing by sanding. If it's a general smoothing/polishing you're after, it's just "sand": "sand down" would be out of place. – R.M. Dec 02 '16 at 15:37
@R.M.: No, actually "sand down" can mean either. – psmears Dec 02 '16 at 15:40
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"Sand down" could be somewhat ambiguous to a woodworker as it's normally only used to mean removing imperfections or thinning / shaping (of some form). "Sanding" doesn't imply imperfections to the final form as it can be qualified as needed. – Rycochet Dec 02 '16 at 16:27
A rough surface is riddled with particular protrusions that have to be turned into non-protruding particles, that tend to end up on the floor, thus "down" :) – rackandboneman Dec 05 '16 at 08:23

score 5 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 02 '16 at 02:34

The definition of sandpaper reveals a couple of verbs that go with it.

Sandpaper:

paper covered on one side with abrasive material (as sand) glued fast and used for smoothing and polishing.

(Smoothen or polish something using a sandpaper)

stiff paper that has a rough surface on one side and that is rubbed against something (such as a piece of wood) to make it smooth.

(Rub a sandpaper against a surface to smoothen it)

In fact, you can use sandpaper itself as a transitive verb. You can sandpaper(v) a surface and make it smooth.

Depending on the purpose of the sandpaper, you could use abrade.

to rub or wear away especially by friction

You can also scour or scrape a surface using sandpaper.

Verbs for sandpaper

2 Answers2