a liquid preparation that forms a hard shiny transparent coating on drying
the covering or glaze given by the application of varnish
resin or sap used to make varnish
archaic outside show; = veneer1 (3)
Once you remove the varnish of respectability, you see the man in his true colours
varnishy adj
[Middle English vernisch via French vernis and Old Italian vernice, from medieval Latin veronic-, veronix sandarac resin]