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illustration Burnish

Burnish

[BER-nish]

Part of speech: verb

Origin: Middle English, early 14th century

1.

Enhance or perfect (something such as a reputation or a skill).

2.

Polish (something, especially metal) by rubbing.

Examples of Burnish in a sentence

"Mary knew she would have to burnish her research skills to shine in her job hunt."

"Betty liked to burnish her collection of silver every month."

About Burnish

This word stems from Middle English by way of the Old French “burniss-,” a lengthened stem of “burnir” that means to “make brown.”

Did you Know?

“Burnish” can also be a noun that means the shine on a highly polished surface.

illustration Burnish

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