Meanings
burnish1
present singular third person burnishes · participle present burnishing · participle past burnished · past burnished · first person past singular burnished · archaic first person past singular burnisht · archaic present second person singular burnishest · past second person singular burnished · archaic past second person singular burnishedst · archaic past second person singular burnisht · present singular third person burnishes · archaic present singular third person burnisheth · past singular third person burnished · archaic past singular third person burnisht · past plural burnished · archaic past plural burnisht
- transitiveTo make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if 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.
5 more examples
Lyke as the larke, vpon the somers day, / Whan Titan radiant burnisshith his bemis bryght, […]
1523, John Skelton, “A Ryght Delectable Tratyse vpon a Goodly Garlande or Chapelet of Laurell, […]”, in Alexander Dyce, editor, The Poetical Works of John Skelton: […], volume I, London: Thomas Rodd, […], published 1843, →OCLC, page 383, lines 1205–1208So forth he came all in a cote of plate, / Burniſht vvith bloudie ruſt; […]
1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book V, Canto VIII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], part II (books IV–VI), London: […] [Richard Field] for William Ponsonby, →OCLC, stanza 29, page 289Fire Renovates and Burniſheth the Mine, / The Spirit of VVisdom, makes the Face to ſhine: / Fire elevates, inclines things to Aſcend, / The Spirit of Faith too makes Souls upvvard tend: […]
1663, Edward Sparke, “Poem 15. On Whitsunday.”, in ΘΥΣΙΑΣΤΗΡΙΟΝ [Thusiastērion] vel Scintilla-Altaris. Or Primitive Devotion in the Feasts and Fasts of the Church of England. […], 3rd edition, London: […] R. Wood, for H. Brome, […], →OCLC, page 327Thus was this place, / A happy rural ſeat of various view; / Groves whoſe rich Trees wept Odorous Gummes and Balme, / Others whoſe fruit burniſht with Golden Rinde / Hung amiable, Heſperian Fables true, / If true, here onely, and of delicious taſte: […]
1667, John Milton, “Book IV”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 246–251Novv the village vvindovvs blaze, / Burniſh'd by the ſetting ſun.
1766, John Cunningham, “Day, a Pastoral. Evening.”, in Poems, Chiefly Pastoral, Dublin: […] Peter Wilson, […], and Boulter Grierson, […], →OCLC, stanza XIX, page 10 - transitiveOf a stag: to remove the velvet (“skin and fine fur”) from (its antlers) by rubbing them against something; to velvet.
The Stagg or Buck burnisheth his head, by rubbing it againſt the trees, Het Hart wrijſt ſijn hooſt tegen de boomen.
1658, Hendrick Hexham, “The Termes and Words of the Art of Hunting, and the Interpretation of Them out of English into Netherdutch”, in Het Groot Woorden Boeck: Gestelt in ’t Neder-duytsch, ende in ’t Engelsch […] = A Large Netherdutch and English Dictionarie; […], Rotterdam: […] Arnout Leers, →OCLC, column 22 more examples
His [a hart's] head when it commeth firſt out, hath a ruſſet pyll vpon it, the which is called Veluet,[…]. When his head is growne out to the full bigneſſe, then he rubbeth of that pyll, and that is called fraying of his head. And afterwards he Burniſheth the ſame, and then his head is ſaid to be full ſommed.
1575, Jacques du Fouilloux, “Of the Termes of Venery”, in George Gascoigne, transl., The Noble Art of Venerie or Hunting. […], London: […] Thomas Purfoot, published 1611, →OCLC, page 244Deer are ſaid to burniſh their Heads, vvhen rubbing off a vvhite dovvny Skin from their Horns againſt a Tree, they thruſt 'em into a reddiſh Earth, to give 'em a nevv Colour and Luſtre.
1728, E[phraim] Chambers, “BURNISHING”, in Cyclopædia: Or, An Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences; […] In Two Volumes, volumes I (A–H), London: […] James and John Knapton [et al.], →OCLC, page 135, column 2 - figurativelytransitiveTo make (someone or something) appear positive and highly respected.
Bonnie Parker helped burnish her own image.
2006, Laura Browder, “Maid Marians and Bad Mothers: From the Gungirls of the 1920s to the Gangsters of the 1930s”, in Her Best Shot: Women and Guns in America, Chapel Hill, N.C.: University of North Carolina Press, →ISBN, page 1335 more examples
If a Lye, after it is molded, be not ſmooth enough, there is no inſtrumẽt to burniſh it, but an oath; Svvearing giues it cullor, & a bright complexion.
1606, Thomas Dekker, “The Seuen Deadly Sinnes of London: Drawne in Seuen Severall Coaches, through the Seuen Seueral Gates of the Citie Bringing the Plague with Them: 2. Lying. Or, The Second Dayes Triumph”, in Alexander B[alloch] Grosart, editor, The Non-dramatic Works of Thomas Dekker. […] (The Huth Library), volume II, London; Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire: […] [Hazell, Watson, & Viney] for private circulation only, published 1885, →OCLC, page 34[I]f he is not burnishing thinks he all's Time does lose, / For Sir Jan, Sir Jan, &c. [i.e., no dinner gave a Muse.]
1719, [Thomas] d’Urfey, “The New Windsor Ballad”, in Songs Compleat, Pleasant and Divertive; […], volume II, London: […] W. Pearson, for J[acob] Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 104Purſuit of fame vvith pedants fills our ſchools, / And into Coxcombs burniſhes our Fools; […]
1726, [Edward Young], The Universal Passion. Satire the Last. To the Right Honourable Sir Robert Walpole., 1st edition, London: […] J[ames] Roberts […], →OCLC, page 8He burnisheth stale villanies afresh. / Whilst, ravenous as sharks for human flesh, / His gaping audience bold the tumid food, / More grateful the more foully 'tis imbued.
1870, The Superior Animal; a Satire, London: J. Haddon & Co., […], →OCLC, page 15In particular, those who experienced her [Elizabeth of Hungary's]three rose miracles did the most to burnish her legend.
2008, Otto Rahn, “Meran”, in Christopher Jones, transl., Lucifer’s Court: A Heretic’s Journey in Search of the Light Bringers, 1st U.S. edition, Rochester, Vt.: Inner Traditions, →ISBN, part 2, page 108 - intransitiveTo become bright, glossy, and smooth; to brighten, to gleam, to shine forth.
Hovv you itch Michaell, hovv you burniſh! / VVill not this ſouldiers heat out of your bones yet, / Doe your eyes glovv novv?
1624 (first performance), John Fletcher, Rule a Wife and Have a Wife. A Comoedy. […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Leonard Lichfield […], published 1640, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 21 more example
So vvhen the VVar has rais'd a Storm, / I've ſeen a Snake in human Form, / All ſtain'd in Infamy and Vice, / Leap from the Dunghill in a trice, / Burniſh and make a gaudy ſhovv, / Become a General, Peer, and Beau, / Till Peace hath made the Sky Serene, / Then ſhrink into it's Hole again.
1706 (date written), [Jonathan Swift], “The Description of a Salamander. […]”, in Miscellanies in Prose and Verse, volume I, London: […] John Morphew […], published 1711, →OCLC, pages 374–375
burnish2
present singular third person burnishes · participle present burnishing · participle past burnished · past burnished
- Of a person's body: to grow large or stout; to fatten, to fill out.
We must not all run up in height, like a hop-pole, but also burnish and spread in breadth: then shall we be well proportioned and complete.
1640, Thomas Fuller, “Growth in Grace”, in Ioseph’s Partie-coloured Coat: Containing, a Comment on Part of the II. Chapter of the I. Epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians. […], London: […] Iohn Dawson, for Iohn Williams, […], →OCLC, page 1013 more examples
A man Grovveth in heigth and length untill he be one and tvventie yeares of age: then beginneth he to ſpread and burniſh in ſquareneſſe.
1601, C[aius] Plinius Secundus [i.e., Pliny the Elder], “[Book XI.] A Discourse Anatomicall, of the Nature of Living Creatures, Part by Part, According to Their Particular Members.”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Historie of the World. Commonly Called, The Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus. […], 1st tome, London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC, page 345A ſlender poet muſt have time to grovv, / And ſpread and burniſh as his brothers do. / […] / Then damn not, but indulge his rude eſſays, / Encourage him, and bloat him up vvith praiſe, […]
1675, John Dryden, “Prologue to Circe”, in The Miscellaneous Works of John Dryden, […], volume II, London: […] J[acob] and R[ichard] Tonson, […], published 1760, →OCLC, page 310Sure he preſum'd of praiſe, vvho came to ſtock / Th' etherial paſtures vvith ſo fair a flock; / Burniſh'd, and bat'ning on their food, to ſhovv / The diligence of carefull herds belovv.
1687, [John Dryden], “[The First Part]”, in The Hind and the Panther. A Poem, in Three Parts, 2nd edition, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC, page 22 - broadlyOf a thing: to increase in size; to expand, to spread out, to swell.
My thoughts began to burniſh, ſprout, and ſvvell, / Curling vvith metaphors a plain intention, / Decking the ſenſe, as if it vvere to ſell.
[1633], George Herbert, “Jordan”, in [Nicholas Ferrar], editor, The Temple. Sacred Poems, and Private Ejaculations, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Thomas Buck and Roger Daniel; and are to be sold by Francis Green, […], →OCLC, page 952 more examples
[Giorgio Vasari's Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects] is to paſſe a running examination ouer the vvhole Edifice, according to the properties of a vvell ſhapen Man. As […] vvhether the Fabrique bee of a beautifull Stature, vvhether for the breadth it appeare vvell burniſhed, […] and ſo forth.
1624, Henry Wotton, The Elements of Architecture, […], London: […] Iohn Bill, →OCLC, II. part, page 117Some have ſuſpected the declining of the Luſtre thereof [i.e., of London], becauſe of late it vergeth ſo much VVeſtvvard, increaſing in Buildings in Convent Garden, &c. But by their Favour (to diſprove their Fear) it vvill be found to Burniſh round about, to every point of the compaſſe, vvith nevv Structures daily added thereunto.
a. 1662 (date written), Thomas Fuller, “London”, in The History of the Worthies of England, London: […] J[ohn] G[rismond,] W[illiam] L[eybourne] and W[illiam] G[odbid], published 1662, →OCLC, page 190
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing; to polish, to shine.
More synonyms by meaning
nounthe property of being smooth and shiny
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
burnish · verb, noun
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰerH-“brown”
- Proto-Germanic*brūnaz“brown”
- Proto-Germanic*brūnijaną“to decorate; tan”
- Frankish*brūnijan“to polish, make resplendent”
- Old Frenchburnir
- Middle Englishburnishen
- Englishburnish
The verb is derived from Middle English burnishen, burnysshen (“to polish, burnish; (figuratively) to brighten, give lustre to; to clean (something) until shiny; to decorate (with something shiny), adorn”) [and other forms], from burniss-, a stem of Old French burnir (compare, for example, the first-person present singular indicative form burnis), a variant of brunir (“to make clean and shiny, polish; to make brown”) (modern French brunir), from Frankish *brūnijan (“to polish, make resplendent”), from Proto-Germanic *brūnijaną (“to decorate; tan”), from Proto-Germanic *brūnaz (“brown”, adjective), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerH- (“brown”, adjective). Unrelated to burn. The noun is derived from the verb.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Frankish
Full word history & related roots →burnish · verb
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰer-“to bear, carry”
- Proto-Germanic*barną“child”
- Proto-West Germanic*barn“child”
- Old Englishbearn“child”
- Middle Englishbarnishen
- Englishburnish
From Middle English barnishen, barnish (“to grow big (with child), to become pregnant; to grow stout or strong”); further etymology uncertain, possibly from barn (“child, offspring; infant; unborn child; human being, person; male person, man (especially a young man or young warrior)”). (from Old English bearn (“child”), from Proto-West Germanic *barn (“child”), from Proto-Germanic *barną (“child”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- (“to bear, carry”)) + -ishen (suffix forming verbs).
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic رَزَّزَ
- رَزَّزَ (razzaza)to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
Bulgarian лъскам, полирам
- лъскам (lăskam)to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- полирам (poliram)to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
Chinese Mandarin 打磨, 磨光
- 打磨 (dǎmó)to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- 磨光 (móguāng)to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- 拋光 /抛光 (pāoguāng)to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- 打磨 (dǎmó)to make (someone or something) appear positive and highly respected
Dutch oppoetsen
- oppoetsento make (someone or something) appear positive and highly respected
Finnish kiillottaa, kiillottaa
- kiillottaato make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- kiillottaato make (someone or something) appear positive and highly respected
- kaunistellato make (someone or something) appear positive and highly respected
- kiiltääto appear positive and highly respected
- kiiltoshiny layer applied to a surface or other thing
French brunir, fourbir
- brunirto make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- fourbirto make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
German brünieren, glanzschleifen
- brünierento make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- glanzschleifento make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- glättento make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- glatt scheuernto make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- aufpolierento make (someone or something) appear positive and highly respected
- zu mehr Glanz verhelfento make (someone or something) appear positive and highly respected
Hebrew הבריק, מרק
- הבריק (hivrík)to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- מרק (marák)to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- מירק (merék)to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
Hungarian políroz
- polírozto make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
Icelandic fægja, fága
- fægjato make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- fágato make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- pússato make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
Italian brunire, abbrunire
- brunireto make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- abbrunireto make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- lappareto make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- lumeggiàreto make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
Latin tergeō
- tergeōto make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
Māori whakamaheni
- whakamahenito make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
Polish polerować, wypolerować
- polerowaćto make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- wypolerowaćto make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
Portuguese brunir, açacalar
- brunirto make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- açacalarto make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- polirto make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
Romanian bruna, lustrui
- brunato make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- lustruito make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
Russian дра́ить, надра́ивать
- дра́ить (dráitʹ)to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- надра́ивать (nadráivatʹ)to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- надра́ить (nadráitʹ)to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- полирова́ть (polirovátʹ)to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- шлифова́ть (šlifovátʹ)to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
Scottish Gaelic dearrs, lìomh
- dearrsto make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- lìomhto make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
Spanish bruñir, ciclar
- bruñirto make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- ciclarto make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
Swedish blankskura, göra blank
- blankskurato make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- göra blankto make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- polerato make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
Turkish parlatmak, mührelemek
- parlatmakto make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- mührelemekto make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
Ukrainian полірувати, шліфувати
- полірувати (poliruvaty)to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
- шліфувати (šlifuvaty)to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
Yiddish פּאָלירן
- פּאָלירן (polirn)to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with burnish
All rhymes →Cite this entry
burnish. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/burnish
“burnish.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/burnish. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “burnish,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/burnish.
Source: burnish on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.