burnish

American  

[bur-nish] / ˈbɜr nɪʃ /

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.

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noun

1. gloss; brightness; luster.

   the burnish of brass andirons.

burnish British  

/ ˈbɜːnɪʃ /

verb

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

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noun

1. a shiny finish; lustre

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of burnish

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

Example Sentences

He rose through the ranks, burnishing his credentials by leading a campaign battling an ethnic rebel insurrection around crucial trade crossings with China.

From Barron's

Two drafts contain notes typed in the margins with suggestions that seemed intended to soften the report’s effect and burnish the Fire Department’s image.

From Los Angeles Times

He worked as a lawyer and customs broker before being elected to the Texas House, where he burnished his bipartisan credentials.

From The Wall Street Journal

Weyerhaeuser also is selling its forests as a carbon sink to companies seeking to offset their carbon emissions or burnish their green credentials.

From Barron's

In truth he won't much mind being attacked by the first minister if it draws attention to the issues he wants to talk about, and lets him burnish his anti-establishment credentials.

From BBC