— burnishable , adj. — burnishment , n.
/berr"nish/ , v.t.
1. to polish (a surface) by friction.
2. to make smooth and bright.
3. Engraving. to flatten and enlarge the dots of (a halftone) by rubbing with a tool.
n.
4. gloss; brightness; luster: the burnish of brass andirons.
[ 1275-1325; ME burnissh burniss-, MF bruniss- (long s. of burnir, brunir to darken, polish), equiv. to brun- BROWN + -iss- -ISH 2 ]
Syn. 1. buff, shine.