brightwork
Americannoun
-
polished metal parts, as on a ship or automobile.
-
Nautical. all plain or varnished woodwork that is kept scoured on a vessel.
noun
-
shiny metal trimmings or fittings on ships, cars, etc
-
varnished or plain woodwork on a vessel
Etymology
Origin of brightwork
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Compared to the toolbox angularity of its rivals, the CX-90’s presentation is sleek, urbane, even fancy, with lots of brightwork accenting the front and rear bumpers, rocker panels and grille frame.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 11, 2025
Charismatic details such as the “Thor’s Hammer” LED headlamps, chrome spears on the doors, and handsome brightwork smile complete the picture.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 9, 2018
Then there's his tendency to put diamonds in the handle recesses of on-deck winches, which gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "brightwork."
From Time Magazine Archive
Men who scarcely ever fixed a leaky faucet or pushed a lawnmower are busily hosing decks, rubbing brightwork, varnishing mahogany, bailing bilges.
From Time Magazine Archive
The others had never been there, and they were visibly awed by all the gleaming glass and brightwork, and the soft lights and the thick carpets.
From Four-Day Planet by Piper, H. Beam
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
