burnish
Translation
to burnish, to polish
Examples
He burnished the silver trophy.
He burnished the silver trophy.
She needs to burnish her public image.
She needs to burnish her public image.
Grammar Patterns
((sth.)) to polish (sth.) He burnished the silverware.
Similar Words
Synonyms: polish, shine, buff; Antonyms: tarnish, dull
Etymology
From Old French 'brunir' meaning 'to make brown, to polish', related to 'brown'. The idea is making something so shiny it looks dark or 'browned'.
Memory Tips
Imagine you 'burn' a surface with friction to 'burnish' it, making it shiny.