burnish

[bur-nish]

verb (used with object)

1. to polish (a surface) by friction.

   Synonyms: shine, buff

2. to make smooth and bright.

3. Engraving.,  to flatten and enlarge the dots of (a halftone) by rubbing with a tool.

noun

1. gloss; brightness; luster.

   the burnish of brass andirons.

burnish

/ ˈbɜːnɪʃ /

verb

1. to make or become shiny or smooth by friction; polish

noun

1. a shiny finish; lustre

Other Word Forms

• burnishable adjective
• burnishment noun
• unburnished adjective
• burnisher noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of burnish¹

1275–1325; Middle English burnissh < Anglo-French burniss-, Middle French bruniss- (long stem of burnir, brunir to darken, polish), equivalent to brun- brown + -iss- -ish ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of burnish¹

C14 burnischen , from Old French brunir to make brown, from brun _brown

Example Sentences

More likely, they aim to attract tourists, spur economic growth, and burnish their reputations as fun and enlightened places.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Shares in Gucci-owner Kering gained more ground Thursday after sales at the fashion house beat expectations in the most recent quarter, lifting revenue at the parent group and burnishing hopes of a sustained turnaround.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

If you’ve made it this far, you may be thinking that the reviewer is one of those insufferable people who criticizes others to burnish his own self-importance.

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To burnish his resume, he earned certification as a nursing assistant and got work experience.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Foreign policy becomes an instrument of naked personal despotism, with favors bestowed on those who burnish the leader’s vanity, and yanked away from those who decline to do so.

Read more on Salon