furbish

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

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈfɜːbɪʃ/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈfɝbɪʃ/

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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; to refurbish.
   • 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.

• (to make smooth and shiny by rubbing): wax, shine, polish, buff, burnish

• burfish