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varnish
varnish homogeneous solution of gum or of natural or synthetic resins in oil (oil varnish) or in a volatile solvent (spirit varnish), which dries on exposure to air, forming a thin, hard, usually glossy film. It is used for the protection or decoration of surfaces and may be transparent, translucent, or tinted. For oil varnishes a hard gum or resin, often a fossilized plant exudation such as kauri or copal, is dissolved in oil (commonly linseed oil or tung oil) and is diluted with a volatile solvent such as turpentine. Spirit varnishes are commonly made of soft resins or gums, such as shellac , dammer, mastic, or sandarac, dissolved in a volatile solvent, e.g., alcohol, benzene, acetone, or turpentine. Enamel is varnish with added pigments. Lacquer may be a cellulose derivative dissolved in a volatile solvent, or it may be a natural varnish made in the East from the sap of trees. Among the varnishes named either for their constituents or for the proposed use are japanner's gold size, cabinet, carriage, bookbinder's, patent-leather, insulating, photographic, shellac, and copal picture varnish. Varnish has been known from antiquity; the Egyptians coated mummy cases with a pastelike form made of soft resins dissolved in oil and applied when warm. Another early use was for coating oil paintings. Stradivarius and other violinmakers used a slow-drying linseed oil varnish on their instruments.
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"varnish." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "varnish." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-varnish.html "varnish." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-varnish.html |
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varnish
varnish. Solution of natural or synthetic resin dissolved in liquid, used as a protective coating on the surface of a painting or sometimes as a paint medium. Ideally varnish should be colourless and transparent, but most have darkened with age. Natural resin varnishes are usually either oil based or spirit based. Oil varnishes, which have been used since the Middle Ages, are made by dissolving resins (such as mastic or sandarac) in hot oil (usually linseed). These were the main types of picture varnishes until well into the 20th century, when they were largely replaced by synthetic equivalents. Spirit-based varnishes are made by dissolving resin in a rapidly evaporating liquid such as turpentine. Other organic varnishes have used gum arabic (notably for manuscript illuminations) and egg white (particularly for temporary varnishes, removed a year or so later and replaced with a permanent varnish).
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IAN CHILVERS. "varnish." The Oxford Dictionary of Art. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. IAN CHILVERS. "varnish." The Oxford Dictionary of Art. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O2-varnish.html IAN CHILVERS. "varnish." The Oxford Dictionary of Art. 2004. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O2-varnish.html |
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varnish
var·nish / ˈvärnish/ • n. resin dissolved in a liquid for applying on wood, metal, or other materials to form a hard, clear, shiny surface when dry. ∎ [in sing.] archaic an external or superficially attractive appearance of a specific quality: an outward varnish of civilization. • v. [tr.] apply varnish to: we stripped the floor and varnished it. ∎ disguise or gloss over (a fact): the White House is varnishing over the defeat of the president’s proposal. DERIVATIVES: var·nish·er n. |
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"varnish." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "varnish." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-varnish.html "varnish." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-varnish.html |
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varnish
varnish solution of resinous matter used for providing a hard shiny coat XIV; fig. XVI. ME. vernisch — (O)F. vernis :- medL. veronix, -nic- fragrant resin, sandarac, or — medGr. berenī́kē, prob. appellative use of the town-name Berenice (in Cyrenaica).
So varnish vb. XIV. — OF. verniss(i)er, -ic(i)er. |
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T. F. HOAD. "varnish." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "varnish." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-varnish.html T. F. HOAD. "varnish." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-varnish.html |
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varnish
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Cite this article
IAN CHILVERS. "varnish." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. IAN CHILVERS. "varnish." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O3-varnish.html IAN CHILVERS. "varnish." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists. 2003. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O3-varnish.html |
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varnish
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"varnish." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "varnish." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-varnish.html "varnish." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-varnish.html |
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varnish
varnish
•banish, clannish, mannish, Spanish, tannish, vanish
•garnish, tarnish, varnish
•replenish, Rhenish
•Danish
•cleanish, greenish
•diminish, finish, Finnish, thinnish
•swinish
•admonish, astonish, donnish
•Cornish
•brownish, clownish, townish
•buffoonish, cartoonish, soonish
•Hunnish, nunnish, punish
•maidenish • hoydenish • paganish
•womanish • vixenish • kittenish
•heathenish
•burnish, furnish
•longish, strongish
•youngish
•Lappish, snappish
•dampish, scampish, trampish, vampish
•sharpish • apish
•cheapish, sheepish, steepish
•blimpish, impish, wimpish
•foppish • waspish • uppish
•frumpish, grumpish, lumpish, plumpish
•parish
•cherish, perish
•bearish, fairish, garish, squarish
•nightmarish • Irish
•moreish, whorish
•flourish, nourish
•nearish, queerish
•sourish
•boorish, Moorish
•gibberish • Micawberish • vulturish
•spiderish • vigorish • vinegarish
•tigerish • ogreish • Quakerish
•lickerish, liquorice (US licorice)
•ochreish (US ocherish)
•vapourish (US vaporish) • viperish
•spinsterish • Pooterish • amateurish
•feverish • liverish • impoverish
•minxish • niceish • coarsish • closish
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"varnish." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "varnish." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-varnish.html "varnish." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-varnish.html |
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