furbish
Americanverb (used with object)
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to restore to freshness of appearance or good condition (often followed by up).
to furbish a run-down neighborhood; to furbish up one's command of a foreign language.
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to polish.
verb
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to make bright by polishing; burnish
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(often foll by up) to improve the appearance or condition of; renovate; restore
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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furbishsimple
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furbishessimple
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have furbishedperfect
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has furbishedperfect
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am furbishingprogressive
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are furbishingprogressive
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is furbishingprogressive
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have been furbishingperfect progressive
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has been furbishingperfect progressive
Past
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furbishedsimple
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had furbishedperfect
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was furbishingprogressive
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were furbishingprogressive
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had been furbishingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of furbish
1350–1400; Middle English furbishen < Middle French forbiss-, long stem of forbir to polish, clean < Germanic; compare Old High German furban
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.
See Examples For:
When Andrew Friedman arrived in Los Angeles, he hoped to furbish a player-development machine that hummed like the one in St. Louis.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2016
Yet it seems to be more important to furbish large roadside coffee pots,” McCain said.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 31, 2011
He grew increasingly convinced that I was needlessly trafficking with his enemies in the "Georgetown set" and at the same time was using my public relations skills to furbish my image and not his.
From Time Magazine Archive
And Canada's CCF socialists, although they still had their leader, Schoolmasterish Major J. Coldwell, had already called a national convention Aug. 19 to furbish up a new platform.
From Time Magazine Archive
She would have Sophie to look over all her “toilettes,” as she called frocks; to furbish up any that were “passées,” and to air and arrange the new.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
She furbishes up her old knowledge and talks with them, she reads the books he has recommended to Violet, and they discuss them together until it appears as if she were the interested one.
From Floyd Grandon's Honor by Douglas, Amanda Minnie
Favourable mention may also be made of a certain ballad composed by the late Professor Palmer, in illustration of his inability to master nautical terms, which he furbishes up in mirth-provoking fashion.
From By-ways in Book-land Short Essays on Literary Subjects by Adams, William Davenport
If he collects old bottles, and furbishes them up “equal to new,” there will be so many less new bottles wanted, and a lot of existing glass-bottle makers will be thrown out of work.
From Salvation Syrup; Or, Light On Darkest England by Foote, G. W. (George William)
And, unluckily, he went once more over all the papers of the investigation, analyzing the evidence he had, like a soldier, who, on the eve of a battle, furbishes up his arms.
From Within an Inch of His Life by Gaboriau, Émile
He provides himself with a more magnificent cumberbund, enlarges the border of gold thread on his puggree, and furbishes up his English that he may converse pleasantly with mem saheb.
From Behind the Bungalow by Aitken, Edward Hamilton
Fans, neckcloths, puffed and powdered melodies furbished once more the elegant infidelities of Manon Lescaitt; pompous swaddlings adorned the familiar French-Hebrew heroics of Samson et Dalila.
From Time Magazine Archive
No public official but had furbished up his funny stories and tucked a speech into his coat against an emergency.
From Time Magazine Archive
Last week a group of Manhattan bankers and labor leaders furbished up a new sort of bait to attract the $6,000,000,000 to $7,000,000,000 which U. S. labor accumulates each year.
From Time Magazine Archive
Nineteen years later the flagon had been furbished up, called the America's Cup, put in competition for the second time.
From Time Magazine Archive
Another sleeping halt was passed, and we have all washed clean at the fresh-water basins, and furbished up our ragged furs and woollens.
From The Sea: Its Stirring Story of Adventure, Peril, & Heroism. Volume 3 by Whymper, Frederick
Along with the doves, there was a great program for furbishing up the state buildings, the Russian embassy, the swank Bristol hotel; scaffolds lined the buildings on Unter den Linden.
From Time Magazine Archive
Their invitation Dr. Fosdick expressed in a great exordium: The great east window of Chicago's Fourth Presbyterian Church has long needed proper furbishing in stained glass.
From Time Magazine Archive
After furnishing and furbishing his embassy residence to the tune of $1,000,000, the U.S.
From Time Magazine Archive
The army set about furbishing and repairing their armor; and the king gave a supper that 429 evening to the earls and barons of his army, where they made good cheer.
From A Source Book of Medi?val History Documents Illustrative of European Life and Institutions from the German Invasions to the Renaissance by Ogg, Frederic Austin
That night, with great labour, Sanders, furbishing his rusty Latin, and filling in gaps, made a translation:
From Sanders of the River by Wallace, Edgar
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.
