[bur.nish] vt [ME burnischen, fr. MF bruniss-, stem of brunir, lit., to make brown, fr. brun] (14c) 1 a: to make shiny or lustrous esp. by rubbing b: polish 3
2: to rub (a material) with a tool for compacting or smoothing or for turning an edge -- bur.nish.er n -- bur.nish.ing adj or n
[2]burnish n (ca. 1647): luster, gloss