• IPA: /ˈvɑː(ɹ)nɪʃ/

varnish

1. A type of paint with a solvent that evaporates to leave a hard, transparent, glossy film.
2. Anything resembling such a paint; glossy appearance.
   • 18, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter 12, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify ), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, OCLC 1069526323 ↗:

3. (by extension) A deceptively showy appearance.

   • c. 1599–1602, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act IV, scene vii]:

     And set a double varnish on the fame / The Frenchman gave you.

4. (rail, US, informal, dated) a passenger train, probably derived from the varnished passenger cars used at one time.
   • 1959, "Steam's Finest Hour" edited by David P. Morgan, Kalmbach Publishing Co.

     quote en

• French: vernis
• German: Lack, Firnis
• Italian: copale, vernice, verniciatura, lacca
• Portuguese: verniz
• Russian: лак
• Spanish: barniz

• German: Firnis

• Portuguese: verniz

varnish (varnishes, present participle varnishing; past and past participle varnished)

1. (intransitive) To apply varnish.
2. (transitive) To cover up with varnish.
3. (transitive) To gloss over a defect.

• French: vernir
• German: lackieren, firnissen
• Portuguese: envernizar
• Russian: лакирова́ть
• Spanish: barnizar, lacar

• Portuguese: envernizar
• Russian: лакирова́ть
• Spanish: barnizar, lacar

• Portuguese: envernizar
• Russian: прикра́шивать