| 释义 |
var·nish
I. \ˈvärnish, ˈvȧn-, -nēsh\ noun
(-es ; see sense 4)
Etymology: Middle English vernisch, from Middle French vernis, from Old Italian or Medieval Latin; Old Italian vernice, from Medieval Latin veronice, veronic-, veronix sandarac (resin), from Greek berenikē, probably from Berenikē Berenice (now Benghazi), city in Cyrenaica
1.
a. : a liquid preparation that when spread upon a surface dries by evaporation or oxidation forming a hard lustrous coating that is more or less transparent unless pigments have been added and serves for decoration and protection — see oil varnish, spirit varnish; japan, lacquer, shellac; compare enamel 3
b. : the covering, coating, or glaze given by the application of varnish
< seemed to be like a painting cleaned of later restorations and varnishes — Erwin Rosenthal >
c. : the act of applying this substance to a surface
d. : something that resembles or suggests varnish by its gloss
< the varnish of the holly and ivy — T.B.Macaulay >
2. : an artificial covering to give a pleasing or conventional appearance to action or conduct : an embellishing feature : outside show : gloss
< absence of literary varnish — Frederic Morton >
< concealed, under a varnish of conventionality … a nature throbbing with passion — Norman Douglas >
3.
a. : thickened linseed oil with which pigments are ground to form the ink used in lithography
b. : ground 3g
4. plural varnish slang
a. : a through passenger train or car
< ride the varnish >
< a varnish conductor >
b. : a highly varnished wooden passenger car
< the last such varnish ever to roll over the Carson meadows — Lucius Beebe & C.M.Clegg >
5. chiefly Britain : nail polish
6. : a deposit formed in engines by oxidation and polymerization of fuels and lubricants
II. \“, esp in pres part -nəsh\ verb
(-ed/-ing/-es)
Etymology: Middle English vernischen, from Middle French vernisser, from vernis varnish
transitive verb
1. : to apply varnish to : cover with a thin coating of a liquid that when dry produces a hard glossy surface
< varnish a table >
< varnish a painting >
— often used with over
< varnish over a surface >
2. : to coat over with something resembling or likened to varnish : cover or conceal with something that gives a fair appearance : gloss over
< a manner highly varnished, a blend of cool bluff and right thinking — Francis Hackett >
< never imagine that anything you can say yourself will varnish your defects — Earl of Chesterfield >
< one that degraded art, and varnished vice — Robert Bridges †1930 >
3. : adorn, embellish
< beauty doth varnish age — Shakespeare >
intransitive verb
: to apply varnish |