furbish

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈfɜrbɪʃ/ UK /ˈfɜːbɪʃ/ See IPA manual

verb

Meanings

1

verb
to brighten or restore by polishing or renovating

They furbished the old armor until it gleamed.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to brighten or restore by... polish burnish brighten renovate refurbish restore scour

Opposites

tarnish dull

Word family

Derived forms furbisherfurbished

Related forms refurbish

Etymology

From Middle English 'furbisshen', from Old French 'forbir' ('to polish, furbish'), of Germanic origin, akin to Old High German 'furban' ('to clean').

forbir Middle French *furbjan Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

# furbish

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** ˈfɜrbɪʃ
**IPA (UK):** ˈfɜːbɪʃ

## Meanings
1. to brighten or restore by polishing or renovating

## Examples
- They furbished the old armor until it gleamed.

## Synonyms
- polish
- burnish
- brighten
- renovate
- refurbish
- restore
- scour

## Antonyms
- tarnish
- dull

## Derived Forms
- furbisher
- furbished

## Related Forms
- refurbish

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: forbir
- Root: *furbjan

## Etymology
From Middle English 'furbisshen', from Old French 'forbir' ('to polish, furbish'), of Germanic origin, akin to Old High German 'furban' ('to clean').

## AI Etymology
Furbish is from Middle English 'furbisshen', from Old French 'forbir' ('to polish, furbish'), of Germanic origin, akin to Old High German 'furban' ('to clean'). Important recorded forms include forbir (Old French) and *furbjan (Proto-Germanic). The current sense covers to brighten or restore by polishing or renovating. The wider family includes derived forms such as furbisher and furbished and related words such as refurbish.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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furbish

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