Burnish Definition

bûrnĭsh

burnished, burnishes, burnishing

verb

burnished, burnishes, burnishing

To make or become shiny by rubbing; polish.

Webster's New World

To rub with a tool that serves especially to smooth or polish.

American Heritage

To improve or make more impressive.

Achievements that burnished her reputation.

American Heritage

To make smooth or shiny by rubbing; to polish; to shine.

In pottery, a stone is sometimes used to burnish a pot before firing, giving it a smooth, shiny look.

Wiktionary

(intransitive) To shine forth; to brighten; to become smooth and glossy, as from swelling or filling out; hence, to grow large.

Wiktionary

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

noun

burnishes

A smooth glossy finish or appearance; luster.

American Heritage

A gloss or polish.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Origin of Burnish

Middle English burnishen from Old French burnir burniss- variant of brunir from brun shining of Germanic origin bher-² in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
From Old French burnir, from its stem burniss-, variant of brunir (“to polish, make brown”).

From Wiktionary

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