Wiktionary

varnish

English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Middle English vernisch, vernish, from Old French vernis, from Medieval Latin vernix, veronix, from Byzantine Greek Βερενίκη (Bereníkē, “Berenice”), a town in Cyrenaica, now called Benghazi.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈvɑː(ɹ)nɪʃ/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)nɪʃ

Noun

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varnish (countable and uncountable, plural varnishes)

  1. A type of paint with a solvent that evaporates to leave a hard, transparent, glossy film.
  2. Anything resembling such a paint; glossy appearance.
  3. (by extension) A deceptively showy appearance.
  4. (rail transport, US, informal, dated) a passenger train, probably derived from the varnished passenger cars used at one time.
    • 1959, David P. Morgan, editor, Steam's Finest Hour, Kalmbach Publishing Co.:
      Every transcontinental but two settled on the simple articulated for freight service, and all of them coupled their varnish to the 4-8-4.

Derived terms

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Descendants

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  • → Japanese: ワニス (wanisu)

Translations

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Verb

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varnish (third-person singular simple present varnishes, present participle varnishing, simple past and past participle varnished)

  1. (intransitive) To apply varnish.
  2. (transitive) To cover up with varnish.
  3. (transitive) To make something superficially or deceptively attractive
    varnish the report
  4. (transitive) To gloss over a defect.
    • 1841, Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Self-Reliance”, in Essays: First Series:
      [...] Go love thy infant; love thy wood-chopper: be good-natured and modest: have that grace; and never varnish your hard, uncharitable ambition with this incredible tenderness for black folk a thousand miles off. Thy love afar is spite at home.

Derived terms

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Translations

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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
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Anagrams

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Manx

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Etymology

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Borrowed from English varnish.

Noun

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varnish f (genitive singular varnish, plural varnishyn)

  1. varnish

Synonyms

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Derived terms

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