to varnish

Examples

• All

• You just varnished that into the fabric.

  Fiction book (1995)

• When he was "on," i.e., having a good day, he varnished the court with me.

  Fiction book (1998)

• So they opposite to paint it rather than varnish it with bad joins maybe.

• The intent was to simply varnish over the original paint and allow the carousel to go back into commission.

  Blog text (34)

• But indeed, doubt is a necessary tool these days as "truth" is a much veneered and varnished over surface far from its absolute values for humankind. The long and short truth is simple: we do not really know.

  Blog text (18)

• Have we not found copper counterfeited by varnishing iron with laminar malachite?

  Fiction book (1991)

• He separates the yolks from the eggs, mixes the whites with clear nail varnish, and varnishes the poster with it.

  Fiction book (1997)

• Gerry's cheeks, varnished and scabbed with snot he'd wiped, would crack, split, and show his bones.

  Fiction book (1990)

• Much we find gilded, varnished, and bundled up in gaudy tissue flecked with mica to deceive the ignorant.

  Fiction book (1991)

• Many companies varnish their reports to make their financial health appear better than it truly is.

Synonyms

S

to sugarcoat

vsto varnish

• Informal

19 5.0

Make something unpleasant seem nicer than it is

focuses on hiding faults through making things appear better rather than softening facts

W

to whitewash the issues

vsto varnish

8.4

To hide problems or make them seem less serious

is a broader act of making things seem acceptable without formal cover-up

R

to revarnish

vsto varnish

7.4

To make a reputation or image look better by hiding problems

is about hiding faults generally rather than only using surface cosmetic fixes

W

to window-dress

vsto varnish

7.9

To make something look better than it is to trick people

tends to hide faults to make things acceptable not necessarily to trick people

Antonyms

R

to reveal

∞ 2.3

Show something that was hidden or secret

D

to disclose

7 4.0

Make something visible by removing a cover

Compounds

N

nail varnish

• UK

1 2.7

A colored or clear liquid you put on nails to make them look shiny and protect them

J

Japanese varnish tree

9.9

A small tree from East Asia that loses its leaves and has toxic sap used to make lacquer

S

shellac varnish

• Specialized

8.3

A thin clear or colored coating made from shellac and alcohol to protect and shine wood

V

varnish tree

• Indian

9.9

A small Asian tree that gives a poisonous sap used to make lacquer

V

varnish tree

• Indian

9.9

A large Southeast Asian tree whose nuts give oil used to make varnish and whose kernels are used as candles

How Deceptive

to whitewash

12 6.0

to varnish

1 6.6

to sugarcoat

• Informal

19 5.0

to polish

22 4.1

to tone down

44 3.7

Surface Forms

Etymology