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furbish

 - 3 dictionary results

fur⋅bish

  [fur-bish]
Use furbish in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to restore to freshness of appearance or good condition (often fol. by up): to furbish a run-down neighborhood; to furbish up one's command of a foreign language.
2. to polish.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME furbishen < MF forbiss-, long s. of forbir to polish, clean < Gmc; cf. OHG furban

Related forms:
fur⋅bish⋅er, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To furbish
fur·bish   (fûr'bĭsh)   
tr.v.   fur·bished, fur·bish·ing, fur·bish·es

  1. To brighten by cleaning or rubbing; polish.

  2. To restore to attractive or serviceable condition; renovate.


[Middle English furbishen, from Old French fourbir, fourbiss-, from Frankish *furbjan.]
fur'bish·er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

furbish 
c.1260, from O.Fr. forbiss-, prp. stem of forbir "to polish," from a Gmc. source (cf. O.H.G. furban "to polish").
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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