varnish: [14] Varnish may come ultimately from Berenice (Greek Bereníkē), the name of a city in Cyrenaica, Libya, which was credited with the first use of varnishes. Bereníkē became a generic term in medieval Greek, and is thought to lie behind medieval Latin veronix ‘resin used in varnishes’, which passed into English via Old French vernis.
varnish (n.)
mid-14c., from Old French vernis "varnish" (12c.), from Medieval Latin vernix "odorous resin," of uncertain origin, perhaps from Late Greek verenike, from Greek Berenike, name of an ancient city in Libya (modern Bengasi) credited with the first use of varnishes. The town is named for Berenike II, queen of Egypt (see Berenice). Figurative sense of "specious gloss, pretense," is recorded from 1560s.
varnish (v.)
late 14c.; see varnish (n.). Related: Varnished; varnishing. Century Dictionary defines varnishing day as "A day before the opening of a picture exhibition on which exhibitors have the privilege of retouching or varnishing their pictures after they have been placed on the walls." The custom is said to date to the early years of 19c.
实用例句
1. Give the cardboard two or three coats of varnish to harden it.
在纸板上涂两三层清漆使其变硬。
来自柯林斯例句
2. Rub the surface of the wood in preparation for the varnish.
打磨木头的表面，为刷清漆做准备。
来自柯林斯例句
3. You will need to apply three coats of varnish.
需要刷三层清漆。
来自柯林斯例句
4. Varnish the table with two or three coats of water-based varnish.
给桌子上两到三层的水性清漆。
来自柯林斯例句
5. He brought out the fiddle, its varnish cracked and blistered.
