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Glite Dictionary
✨ A shiny coating 🛠️ A coating method 🖌️ To coat with varnish
to japanning

to japanning

9.2
To put a hard shiny coat on metal or wood
  • verb
  • /dʒəˈpænɪŋ/
  • Archaic
translation icon : barnizar
  • He is japanning the furniture to restore its shine.

Examples

  • She learned the art of japanning to decorate metal ornaments with a durable, beautiful coating.

  • The artist japanned the metalwork beautifully.

  • The craftsman spent hours japanning the wooden box to achieve a deep, glossy finish.

  • Restorers are japanning antique trays to bring back their original shine and color.

  • The craftsman spent hours japanning the wooden box to achieve a deep, glossy finish.

  • Restorers are japanning antique trays to bring back their original shine and color.

  • She learned the art of japanning to decorate metal ornaments with a durable, beautiful coating.

Synonyms

to japan
vsto japanning
  • Archaic
9.9

To cover an object with a hard shiny coating in a Japanese style

is broader, applies hard glossy varnish to metal or wood for a shiny finish

How Glossy

to polish
46 1.1
to lacquer
8 6.4
to japanning
  • Archaic
9.2
to varnish
5 4.2
paint
469 1.0

Surface Forms

japanning infinitive
japanned past
japanned past participle
japanning present participle
japans third person singular

Morphology

japanning = japan (semi-transparent) = japan + ing

Present-participle/gerund formation is a regular morphological process from the verb 'japan'.

Etymology

Japanning comes from Japan and literally means 'to give a hard, shiny coat' to metal or wood, which is why the verb means applying that glossy, durable finish.