furnish

B1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈfɝnɪʃ/ UK /ˈfɜːnɪʃ/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like furnace /s/ vs /ʃ/

Freq #23850

Meanings

1

verb
To put furniture into a room or building.

They furnished the house in a simple, modern style.
2

verb
To provide or supply someone with something.

The witness furnished the police with vital details.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 verb · to provide or supply... supply provide

Word family

Forms furnishedfurnishesfurnishingunfurnished

Derived forms disfurnishfurnishablefurnisherfurnishmentnew-furnishoverfurnishrefurnishunderfurnishunfurnish

Related forms furniture

Appears in

Phrases (2)

See all

Simplified etymology

Furnish is recorded from the late Middle English period and is related to furniture and veneer. Veneer entered English through German furnieren from Old French furnir, meaning “to furnish.”

Etymology

From Middle English furnysshen, from Old French furniss-, stem of certain parts of furnir, fornir (Modern French fournir), from Germanic, from Frankish *frumjan (“to complete, execute”), from Proto-Germanic *frumjaną (“to further, promote”), from Proto-Indo-European *promo- (“front, forward”). Cognate with Old High German frumjan (“to perform, provide”), Old High German fruma (“utility, gain”), Old English fremu (“profit, advantage”), Old English fremian (“to promote, perform”). More at frame, frim.

furnysshen Middle English *frumjan frk *frumjaną Proto-Germanic *promo- Proto-Indo-European

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Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# furnish

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈfɝnɪʃ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈfɜːnɪʃ/
**Frequency rank:** 23850

## Meanings
1. To put furniture into a room or building.
2. To provide or supply someone with something.

## Examples
- They furnished the house in a simple, modern style.
- The witness furnished the police with vital details.

## Derived Forms
- disfurnish
- furnishable
- furnisher
- furnishment
- new-furnish
- overfurnish
- refurnish
- underfurnish
- unfurnish

## Related Forms
- furniture

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: furnysshen
- Root: *frumjan
- Root: *frumjaną
- Root: *promo-

## Etymology
From Middle English furnysshen, from Old French furniss-, stem of certain parts of furnir, fornir (Modern French fournir), from Germanic, from Frankish *frumjan (“to complete, execute”), from Proto-Germanic *frumjaną (“to further, promote”), from Proto-Indo-European *promo- (“front, forward”). Cognate with Old High German frumjan (“to perform, provide”), Old High German fruma (“utility, gain”), Old English fremu (“profit, advantage”), Old English fremian (“to promote, perform”). More at frame, frim.

## AI Etymology
Furnish comes from Middle English furnysshen, from Old French furniss-, stem of certain parts of furnir, fornir (Modern French fournir), from Germanic, from Frankish *frumjan (“to complete, execute”), from Proto-Germanic *frumjaną (“to further, promote”), from Proto-Indo-European *promo- (“front, forward”). Cognate with Old High German frumjan (“to perform, provide”), Old High German fruma (“utility, gain”), Old English fremu (“profit, advantage”), Old English fremian (“to promote, perform”). More at frame, frim. In current use, the main senses are “To put furniture into a room or building” and “To provide or supply someone with something”.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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