To burnish is to polish something, especially metal, until it is very smooth and shiny. It can also mean to improve or perfect a reputation or skill.
From Old French “burniss-,” from “brunir,” meaning “to make brown or shining,” from “brun,” “brown.” The idea is making a dark, glossy shine by rubbing.
Burnishing works by gently crushing and smoothing a surface, not by adding anything new. When someone “burnishes” their image, they’re not changing who they are—just rubbing the rough edges until the light hits them better.
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