furbish

verb

fur·​bish ˈfər-bish How to pronounce furbish (audio)
furbished; furbishing; furbishes

transitive verb

1
: to make lustrous : polish
2
: to give a new look to : renovate
often used with up
furbisher noun

Examples of furbish in a Sentence

the warrior furbished his sword and shield so that they glinted in the sunlight

Word History

Etymology

Middle English furbisshen, from Anglo-French furbiss-, stem of furbir, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German furben to polish

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of furbish was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near furbish

Cite this Entry

“Furbish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/furbish. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on furbish

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!