Search the Dictionary

Distinguished by qualities which excite admiration; splended; shining; as, brilliant talents. Washington was more solicitous to avoid fatal mistakes than to perform brilliant exploits. Fisher Ames.

but usually unglazed surface. -- Bristol brick, a brick of siliceous matter used for polishing cultery; -- originally manufactured at Bristol. -- Bristol stone, rock crystal, or brilliant crystals of quartz, found in the mountain limestone near Bristol, and used in making ornaments, vases, etc. When polished, it is c…

moothing or enlarging holes in metal; sometimes made smooth or without edges, as for burnishing pivot holes in watches; a reamer. The broach for gun barrels is commonly square and without taper.

tree (Terminalia latifolia) of Jamaica, the wood of which is used for boards, scantling, shingles, etc; -- sometimes called the almond tree, from the shape of its fruit.

, with gold and silver, or with raised flowers, etc. Brocaded flowers o'er the gay mantua shine. Gay.

The act of bearing down, abashing, or disconcerting, with stern looks, suspercilious manners, or confident assertions. The imperious browbeating and scorn of great men. L'Estrange.

o was supposed often to perform important services around the house by night, such as thrashing, churning, sweeping. [Scot.]

A smooth coat of brown mortar, usually the second coat, and the preparation for the finishing coat of plaster.

The act of brushing; as, to give one's clothes a brush; a rubbing or grazing with a quick motion; a light touch; as, we got a brush from the wheel as it passed. [As leaves] have with one winter's brush Fell from their boughts. Shak.

A circular revolving brush used by turners, lapidaries, silversmiths, etc., for polishing.

A gay, dashing young fellow; a fop; a dandy. The leading bucks of the day. Thackeray.

A washing.

A wheel covered with buff leather, and used in polishing cutlery, spoons, etc.

The act of constructing, erecting, or establishing. Hence it is that the building of our Sion rises no faster. Bp. Hall.

A brisk, dashing fellow. [Slang Obs.] Shak.

Self-conceited; forward; pushing. [Colloq.] Halliwell.

A swallow-tailed flag; a distinguishing pen

To dress or finish up (cloth); to pick knots, burs, loose threads, etc., from, as in finishing cloth. Burling iron, a peculiar kind of nippers or tweezers used in burling woolen cloth.

To cause to shine; to make smooth and bright; to polish; specifically, to polish by rubbing with something hard and smooth; as, to burnish brass or paper. The frame of burnished steel, that east a glare From far, and seemed to thaw the freezing air. Dryden. Now the village windows blaze, Burnished by the setting sun. C…

d, smooth, rounded end or surface, as of steel, ivory, or agate, used in smoothing or polishing by rubbing. It has a variety of forms adapted to special uses.