WordWeight : Weighing the Words

Pronunciation : Bur"nish
Part of Speech : v.
Etymology : [OE. burnischen, burnissen, burnen, OF. burnir, brunir, to make brown, polish, F. brunir, fr. F. brun brown, fr. OHG. br; cf. MHG. briunen to make brown, polish. See Brown, a.]
Definition : Defn: To cause to shine; to make smooth and bright; to polish; specifically, to polish by rubbing with something hard and smooth; as, to burnish brass or paper. The frame of burnished steel, that east a glare From far, and seemed to thaw the freezing air. Dryden. Now the village windows blaze, Burnished by the setting sun. Cunningham. Burnishing machine, a machine for smoothing and polishing by compression, as in making paper collars.

t. [imp. & p. p. Burnished; p. pr. & vb. n. Burnishing.]
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913

Pronunciation : Bur"nish
Part of Speech : v.
Definition : Defn: 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. Dryden. My thoughts began to burnish, sprout, and swell. Herbert.

i.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913

Pronunciation : Bur"nish
Part of Speech : n.
Definition : Defn: The effect of burnishing; gloss; brightness; luster. Crashaw.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913