Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun One who varnishes, or whose occupation is to varnish.
  • noun One who disguises or palliates; one who gives a fair external appearance (to); one who glosses over.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun One who varnishes; one whose occupation is to varnish.
  • noun One who disguises or palliates; one who gives a fair external appearance.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Agent noun of varnish; one who varnishes.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun someone who applies a finishing coat of varnish

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

to varnish + -er

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Examples

  • It's no crime to work hard she's a varnisher; he's a captain now.

    Carnies doyle 2009

  • Mr Tinkler, unused to receive such short orders in connection with the fair varnisher, paused.

    Little Dorrit 2007

  • Poor Little Dorrit, with a rather forlorn glance at that eminent varnisher, promised to try.

    Little Dorrit 2007

  • In the end, though, she had kept on hitching-subsequently thinking of the varnisher only in times of stress, frustration and self-doubt.

    Even Cowgirls Get The Blues Robbins, Tom 1976

  • Of that part behind the curtain, which has not yet been destined to glow beneath the brush of the varnisher or vibrate to the hammer of the carpenter, little is thought by the public, and little need be said by the Committee.

    Collections and Recollections George William Erskine Russell 1886

  • Mr Tinkler, unused to receive such short orders in connection with the fair varnisher, paused.

    Little Dorrit Charles Dickens 1841

  • Poor Little Dorrit, with a rather forlorn glance at that eminent varnisher, promised to try.

    Little Dorrit Charles Dickens 1841

  • 'That, I would say,' observed the fair varnisher, 'Makes the greatest difference.

    Little Dorrit Charles Dickens 1841

  • Thou varnisher of fools, and cheat of all the wise!

    The Poetical Works of Alexander Pope, Volume 1 Alexander Pope 1716

  • Pillars; and so about our business again, and particularly to Lilly's, the varnisher about my prints, whereof some of them are pasted upon the boards, and to my full content.

    Diary of Samuel Pepys, Apr/May 1668 Pepys, Samuel 1669

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