furbish

verb

fur·bish ˈfər-bish

furbished; furbishing; furbishes

: to make lustrous : polish

: to give a new look to : renovate

—often used with up

furbisher noun

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

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

See more words from the same century

Style

“Furbish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/furbish. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation

Get Word of the Day daily email!