burnish

[ bur-nish ]
/ ˈbɜr nɪʃ /

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.

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- -ish2

OTHER WORDS FROM burnish

bur·nish·a·ble, adjective bur·nish·ment, noun un·bur·nished, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for burnished

British Dictionary definitions for burnished

burnish
/ (ˈbɜːnɪʃ) /

verb

to make or become shiny or smooth by friction; polish

noun

a shiny finish; lustre

Derived forms of burnish

burnishable, adjective burnisher, noun

Word Origin for burnish

C14 burnischen, from Old French brunir to make brown, from brun brown