varnish
/ˈvɑː(ɹ)nɪʃ/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.03 in modern English
13
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A clear or translucent liquid coating composed of resin dissolved in a solvent, which dries by evaporation to form a hard, protective, and typically glossy finish.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
A passenger train, probably derived from the varnished passenger cars used at one time.
American usage; Countable; Dated; Informal; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "..; and this process should be continued until all the gum is properly dissolved, which is easily known by having an empty tin can to pour the varnish into, until near the last, which is to be poured into a gallon measure;..."
- "the varnish of the holly and ivy"
- "And set a double varnish on the fame / The Frenchman gave you."
- "Every transcontinental but two settled on the simple articulated for freight service, and all of them coupled their varnish to the 4-8-4."
- "varnish the report"
- "[...] Go love thy infant; love thy wood-chopper: be good-natured and modest: have that grace; and never varnish your hard, uncharitable ambition with this incredible tenderness for black folk a thousand miles off. Thy love afar is spite at home."
Etymology
From Middle English vernisch, vernish, from Old French vernis, from Medieval Latin vernix, veronix, from Byzantine Greek Βερενίκη (Bereníkē, “Berenice”), a town in Cyrenaica, now called Benghazi.