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Definition of furbish

furbish

/ˈfɜːr.bɪʃ/
fur · bish
Past Simple:furbished
•
Past Participle:furbished
•
Present Participle:furbishing
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furbish Lexical Profile

furbish Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To renovate, restore, or give a fresh appearance to something old or worn (often used with 'up').

Example

"They decided to furbish up the historic theater before the summer festival began."

2

To polish, rub, or burnish (especially metal or armor) until it shines.

Example

"The museum conservator spent hours carefully furbishing the antique brass candlesticks to restore their original luster."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for furbish
Antonyms
View all antonyms for furbish

Word Nuance & Usage

In contemporary English, 'furbish' is much less common than its derivative 'refurbish', and when used, it frequently appears in the phrasal construction 'furbish up'.

• Rhymes for furbish

• Nearby Words

funplex
fur
furball
furbish
furious
furiously
furiousness

Word Origin & Etymology

From Middle English furbischen, borrowed from Old French forbir ('to clean, polish'), which is itself of Germanic origin, related to Old High German furban ('to clean, purify').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Furbish. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/furbish
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