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varnishmore about varnish

varnish

 

  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Varnish  \Var"nish\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Varnished};  p.  pr  & 
  vb  n.  {Varnishing}.]  [Cf.  F.  vernir,  vernisser  See 
  {Varnish},  n.] 
  1.  To  lay  varnish  on  to  cover  with  a  liquid  which  produces, 
  when  dry,  a  hard,  glossy  surface;  as  to  varnish  a  table; 
  to  varnish  a  painting. 
 
  2.  To  cover  or  conceal  with  something  that  gives  a  fair 
  appearance;  to  give  a  fair  coloring  to  by  words  to  gloss 
  over  to  palliate;  as  to  varnish  guilt.  ``Beauty  doth 
  varnish  age.''  --Shak. 
 
  Close  ambition,  varnished  o'er  with  zeal.  --Milton. 
 
  Cato's  voice  was  ne'er  employed  To  clear  the  guilty 
  and  to  varnish  crimes.  --Addison. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Varnish  \Var"nish\,  n.  [OE.  vernish,  F.  vernis,  LL  vernicium 
  akin  to  F.  vernir  to  varnish,  fr  (assumed)  LL  vitrinire  to 
  glaze,  from  LL  vitrinus  glassy,  fr  L.  vitrum  glass.  See 
  {Vitreous}.] 
  1.  A  viscid  liquid,  consisting  of  a  solution  of  resinous 
  matter  in  an  oil  or  a  volatile  liquid,  laid  on  work  with  a 
  brush,  or  otherwise.  When  applied  the  varnish  soon  dries, 
  either  by  evaporation  or  chemical  action  and  the  resinous 
  part  forms  thus  a  smooth,  hard  surface,  with  a  beautiful 
  gloss,  capable  of  resisting,  to  a  greater  or  less  degree, 
  the  influences  of  air  and  moisture. 
 
  Note:  According  to  the  sorts  of  solvents  employed,  the 
  ordinary  kinds  of  varnish  are  divided  into  three 
  classes:  spirit,  turpentine,  and  oil  varnishes. 
  --Encyc.  Brit 
 
  2.  That  which  resembles  varnish,  either  naturally  or 
  artificially;  a  glossy  appearance. 
 
  The  varnish  of  the  holly  and  ivy.  --Macaulay. 
 
  3.  An  artificial  covering  to  give  a  fair  appearance  to  any 
  act  or  conduct;  outside  show  gloss. 
 
  And  set  a  double  varnish  on  the  fame  The  Frenchman 
  gave  you  --Shak. 
 
  {Varnish  tree}  (Bot.),  a  tree  or  shrub  from  the  juice  or 
  resin  of  which  varnish  is  made  as  some  species  of  the 
  genus  {Rhus},  especially  {R.  vernicifera}  of  Japan.  The 
  black  varnish  of  Burmah  is  obtained  from  the 
  {Melanorrh[oe]a  usitatissima},  a  tall  East  Indian  tree  of 
  the  Cashew  family.  See  {Copal},  and  {Mastic}. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  varnish 
  n  :  a  paint  that  provides  a  hard  glossy  transparent  coating 
  v  :  cover  with  varnish  [syn:  {seal}]




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