furbish

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English

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Etymology

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    From Middle English furbisshen, from Old French forbir (stem furbiss-, to clean, polish), from Frankish *furbēn (to clean, polish).

    Pronunciation

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    Verb

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    furbish (third-person singular simple present furbishes, present participle furbishing, simple past and past participle furbished)

    1. To polish or burnish.
    2. To renovate or recondition.
      • 1897, Stanley John Weyman, chapter I, in Shrewsbury:
        I do not indeed suppose that anyone can at this time of day effect that which the sense of all good men failed to effect while he lived--I mean the final killing of those rumours; nor is a plain tale likely to persuade those, with whom idle reports, constantly furbished up, of letters seen in France, weigh more than a consistent life.

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