burnish

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Verb

burnish (burnishes, present participle burnishing; past and past participle burnished)

1. (transitive) To make smooth or shiny by rubbing; to polish; to shine.

   In pottery, a stone is sometimes used to burnish a pot before firing, giving it a smooth, shiny look.

   • Now the village windows blaze, / Burnished by the setting sun.

2. (intransitive) To shine forth; to brighten; to become smooth and glossy, as from swelling or filling out; hence, to grow large.

   • A slender poet must have time to grow, / And spread and burnish as his brothers do.

   • My thoughts began to burnish, sprout, and swell.

3. (metaphoric) To make appear positive and highly respected.

Synonyms

• (to make smooth and shiny by rubbing) wax, shine, polish, furbish, buff

Translations

• French: brunir
• German: glätten
• Portuguese: polir, brunir
• Russian: полирова́ть
• Spanish: bruñir

Noun

burnish

1. Polish; lustre.

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