furbish
- 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.
- to polish.
Origin of furbish
Related Words for furbished
shine, restore, rub, gloss, glaze, brighten, refurbish, rehabilitate, burnish, recondition, clean, renew, buff, improveExamples from the Web for furbished
Historical Examples of furbished
I dare say it was sad stuff, furbished up at a moment's notice.
“It is such a pretty room if it were only furbished off a bit,” Tom said once.
Our BessieRosa Nouchette Carey
His mother marveled why Saul furbished himself up so carefully that evening.
The IncendiaryW. A. (William Augustine) Leahy
The armourer had furbished up the old halberds of the Company, which, with the banners, are quite significant features.
Franz HalsEdgcumbe Staley
The case is new, has the smell of new leather; and the diamond clasp looks recently furbished, even to a little chalk about it.
Penelope BrandlingVernon Lee
furbish
- to make bright by polishing; burnish
- (often foll by up) to improve the appearance or condition of; renovate; restore
Word Origin for furbish
Word Origin and History for furbished
furbish
late 14c. (implied mid-13c. in surname Furbisher), from Old French forbiss-, present participle stem of forbir "to polish, burnish; mend, repair" (12c., Modern French fourbir), from a Germanic source (cf. Old High German furban "to polish"), from PIE root *prep- "to appear." Related: Furbished; furbishing.