n. & v. --n. 1 a resinous solution used to give a hard shiny transparent coating to wood, metal, paintings, etc. 2 any other preparation for a similar purpose (nail varnish). 3 external appearance or display without an underlying reality. 4 artificial or natural glossiness. 5 a superficial polish of manner. --v.tr. 1 apply varnish to. 2 gloss over (a fact). Derivatives varnisher n. Etymology: ME f. OF vernis f. med.L veronix fragrant resin, sandarac or med.Gk berenike prob. f. Berenice in Cyrenaica ...
Толковый словарь английского языка Oxford English Reference
I. noun Etymology: Middle English vernisch, from Anglo-French vernis, from Old Italian or Medieval Latin; Old Italian vernice, from Medieval Latin veronic-, veronix sandarac Date: 14th century 1. a. a liquid preparation that when applied to a surface dries to form a hard lustrous typically transparent coating b. the covering or glaze given by the application of ~ c. (1) something that suggests ~ by its gloss (2) a coating (as of deposits in an internal combustion engine) comparable to ~ 2. outside show ; gloss I 3. chiefly British a liquid nail polish • ~y adjective II. transitive verb Date: 14th century 1. to apply ~ to 2. to cover or conceal (as something unpleasant) with something that gives an attractive appearance ; gloss II 3. adorn, embellish • ~er noun ...
(varnishes, varnishing, varnished) 1. Varnish is an oily liquid which is painted onto wood or other material to give it a hard, clear, shiny surface. The varnish comes in six natural wood shades. N-MASS 2. The varnish on an object is the hard, clear, shiny surface that it has when it has been painted with varnish. He brought out the fiddle, its varnish cracked and blistered. N-SING 3. If you varnish something, you paint it with varnish. Varnish the table with two or three coats of water-based varnish... ...the varnished floorboards. VERB: V n, V-ed 4. see also nail varnish ...
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary
~1 n 1 a clear liquid that is painted onto things, especially things made of wood, to protect them and give them a hard shiny surface 2 the varnish the clear shiny surface of something that has been covered in this liquid (- compare lacquer1 (1)) ~2 v to cover something with varnish varsity ~ n 1 AmE the main team that represents a university, college, or school in a sport (the varsity football team) (- compare junior varsity) 2 BrE old-fashioned a university, especially Oxford or Cambridge ...
- 1358, from O.Fr. vernis "varnish," from M.L. vernix "odorous resin," perhaps from Late Gk. verenike, from Gk. Berenike, name of an ancient city in Libya credited with the first use of varnishes. ...