טוּשׁ I (cmp. טוּחַ I) to cover with a cohesive substance, to polish (with a fatty matter); to besmear, soil, pollute. Pes. 30ᵇ; Zeb. 95ᵇ, a. e. אין טָשִׁין וכ׳ one must not polish the stove with &c. Tosef. B. Kam. IX, 31 [in a misplaced passage, belonging after שבידיו; read:] הרָק כנגד פני חבירו וטָשׁ פניו (ref. to Is. L, 6ᵇ) who spat into or besmeared his neighbor’s face; (cmp. Mish. ib. VIII, 6; Sifra Emor Par. 14, ch. XX).
Pilpel. - טִשְׁטֵשׁ (fr. טָשַׁשׁ) 1) to make viscid, soften. Taan. 22ᵇ מְטַשְׁטְשִׁין את הארץ (the heavy rains) make the soil muddy and it yields no fruit; Yalk. Lev. 671. —2) to smear over, besmear. Part. pass. מְטוּשְׁטָשׁ, pl. מְטוּשְׁטָשִׁין. Pes. 65ᵇ היו בגדיו מט׳ if his (the priest’s) garments were besmeared (with blood &c.); Zeb. 18ᵃ, sq.; ib. 35ᵃ.—Meg. 18ᵇ אותיות מְטוּשְׁטָשׁוֹת letters made illegible by being smeared over.
Nithpalp. - נִיטַּשְׁטֵשׁ, , Hithpa. הִיטַּשְׁטֵשׁ to be smeared over, be dirty. B. Bath. 168ᵇ נמחק או נט׳ if the writing was blotted out or blurred. Tosef. Kel. B. Mets. IV, 13 נִטַּשְׁטְשָׁה a metal mirror which became blurred (blind). Sabb. 81ᵃ נִיטַּשְׁטְשׁוּ Ms. M. (ed. נשטש׳, corr. acc.) the spots were washed away (became indistinct). Cant. R. to VIII, 9 a picture on a wall אע"פ שמִטַּשְׁטֶשֶׁת (prob. שמְטוּשְׁטֶשֶׁת, v. supra) even if it be smeared over.