burnish

/ˈbər-nish/

Middle English burnischen, from Anglo-French burniss-, stem of burnir, alteration of Old French brunir, literally, to make brown, from brun

verb

  1. to make shiny or lustrous especially by rubbing

  2. polish

  3. to rub (a material) with a tool for compacting or smoothing or for turning an edge

burnish leather

attempting to burnish her image

noun

  1. luster, gloss