FURBISH

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does furbish mean? 

• FURBISH (verb)
  The verb FURBISH has 1 sense:

1. polish and make shiny

  Familiarity information: FURBISH used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FURBISH (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they furbish    ... he / she / it furbishes   
Past simple: furbished   
Past participle: furbished   
-ing form: furbishing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Polish and make shiny

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

buff; burnish; furbish

Context example:

buff my shoes

Hypernyms (to "furbish" is one way to...):

polish; shine; smooth; smoothen (make (a surface) shine)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

 Context examples 

She would have Sophie to look over all her "toilettes," as she called frocks; to furbish up any that were "passees," and to air and arrange the new.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

And now there came a time of stir and bustle, of furbishing of arms and clang of hammer from all the southland counties.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

As the height of luxury, Meg put out some of her sewing, and then found time hang so heavily, that she fell to snipping and spoiling her clothes in her attempts to furbish them up a la Moffat.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Then, signior, I lay on you my sovereign behest to furbish up your lungs and other vocal organs, as they will be wanted on my royal service.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Amid the hootings and hissings of their comrades, they marched off together to the Gascon's hut, while the main body broke up their meeting and set cheerily to work packing their possessions, furbishing their weapons, and preparing for the march which lay before them.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)