burnish
[ bur-nish ]
/ ˈbɜr nɪʃ /
Save This Word!
verb (used with object)
to polish (a surface) by friction.
to make smooth and bright.
Engraving. to flatten and enlarge the dots of (a halftone) by rubbing with a tool.
noun
gloss; brightness; luster: the burnish of brass andirons.
QUIZ
QUIZ YOURSELF ON AFFECT VS. EFFECT!
In effect, this quiz will prove whether or not you have the skills to know the difference between “affect” and “effect.”
Question 1 of 7
The rainy weather could not ________ my elated spirits on my graduation day.
Meet Grammar CoachImprove Your Writing
Origin of burnish
OTHER WORDS FROM burnish
bur·nish·a·ble, adjectivebur·nish·ment, nounun·bur·nished, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use burnish in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for burnish
burnish
/ (ˈbɜːnɪʃ) /
verb
to make or become shiny or smooth by friction; polish
noun
a shiny finish; lustre
Derived forms of burnish
burnishable, adjectiveburnisher, nounWord Origin for burnish
C14 burnischen, from Old French brunir to make brown, from brun brown
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012