Varnish Meaning
/ˈvɑː(ɹ)nɪʃ/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA 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.
nounAnything resembling such a coating; a glossy appearance.
Sentence Examples
It looks like I'm going to have to varnish my bookshelves again.
We must give it a coat of varnish.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
The carpenter applied a clear ____ to preserve the natural wood color.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He applied a thin layer of ____ to the wooden table to protect it from damage and give it a shiny finish today.
Word Origin & History
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.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"the varnish of the holly and ivy"
— 1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter XII, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC:
"And set a double varnish on the fame / The Frenchman gave you."
— c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vii]:
"Every transcontinental but two settled on the simple articulated for freight service, and all of them coupled their varnish to the 4-8-4."
— 1959, David P. Morgan, editor, Steam's Finest Hour, Kalmbach Publishing Co.:
"[...] 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."
— 1841, Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Self-Reliance”, in Essays: First Series:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The carpenter applied a clear ____ to preserve the natural wood color.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He applied a thin layer of ____ to the wooden table to protect it from damage and give it a shiny finish today.