burnish

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

• Received-Pronunciation: /ˈbɜːnɪʃ/
  Play
• Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  Play
• General-American: /ˈbɝnɪʃ/
  Play
• rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)nɪʃ
  Play
• CMU ARPABET: B ER1 N IH0 SH Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  Play

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.

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).

68 source translations are retained for this English entry.

• Finnish: kiilto — shiny layer applied to a surface or other thing
• Arabic: 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
• Old Armenian: փայլեմ (pʻaylem) — 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 (lǎskam) — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Bulgarian: 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 (dǎmó) — 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: 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
• Chinese Mandarin: 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
• Finnish: kiillottaa — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• French: brunir — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• French: fourbir — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Galician: brunir — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Galician: abrillantar — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Galician: lustrar — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Galician: puír — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Galician: pulir — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• German: brünieren — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• German: glanzschleifen — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• German: glätten — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• German: glatt scheuern — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Hebrew: 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
• Hebrew: 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
• Hebrew: 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 — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Icelandic: fægja — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Icelandic: fága — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Icelandic: pússa — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Ido: brunisar — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Italian: brunire — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Italian: abbrunire — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Italian: lappare — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Italian: lumeggiàre — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Latin: tergeō — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Manx: gloas — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Māori: whakamaheni — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Middle English: furbisshen — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Polish: polerować — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Polish: wypolerować — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Portuguese: brunir — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Portuguese: açacalar — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Portuguese: polir — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Romanian: bruna — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Romanian: lustrui — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Russian: 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
• Russian: 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
• Russian: 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
• Russian: 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
• Russian: 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 — 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: lìomh — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Spanish: bruñir — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Spanish: ciclar — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Swedish: blankskura — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Swedish: göra blank — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Swedish: polera — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Turkish: parlatmak — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Turkish: mührelemek — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Ottoman Turkish: مهرهلمك (mührelemek) — to make (something, such as a surface) bright, shiny, and smooth by, or (by extension) as if by, rubbing — see also polish, shine
• Ukrainian: 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
• Ukrainian: 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 (polirn) — 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 (dǎmó) — to make (someone or something) appear positive and highly respected
• Dutch: oppoetsen — to make (someone or something) appear positive and highly respected
• Finnish: kiillottaa — to make (someone or something) appear positive and highly respected
• Finnish: kaunistella — to make (someone or something) appear positive and highly respected
• German: aufpolieren — to make (someone or something) appear positive and highly respected
• German: zu mehr Glanz verhelfen — to make (someone or something) appear positive and highly respected
• Finnish: kiiltää — to appear positive and highly respected