1. (n.) A viscid liquid, consisting of a solution of resinous matter in an oil or a volatile liquid, laid on work with a brush, or otherwise. When applied the varnish soon dries, either by evaporation or chemical action, and the resinous part forms thus a smooth, hard surface, with a beautiful gloss, capable of resisting, to a greater or less degree, the influences of air and moisture.

2. (n.) That which resembles varnish, either naturally or artificially; a glossy appearance.

3. (n.) An artificial covering to give a fair appearance to any act or conduct; outside show; gloss.

4. (n.) To lay varnish on; to cover with a liquid which produces, when dry, a hard, glossy surface; as, to varnish a table; to varnish a painting.

5. (n.) To cover or conceal with something that gives a fair appearance; to give a fair coloring to by words; to gloss over; to palliate; as, to varnish guilt.

acting adorn affectation air brush alibi allow for allowance apology appearance apply paint art paper attitudinizing becloud bedaub bedizen befog begild belie besmear bias blanket blind bluff bluffing brush brush on paint buff burnish calcimine camera lucida camera obscura camouflage canvas chalk charcoal cheating cloak cloud coat coating color coloring complexion conceal convolute cover cover story cover up cover-up crayon curtain dab daub deception decontamination decorate deep-dye delusion device diminish dip disguise dissemblance dissemble dissembling dissimulation distemper distort distract attention from double-dye drawing paper drawing pencil dress up drier dye ease easel eclipse elaborate embellish emblazon embroider enamel engild enrich ensconce enshroud envelop excuse extenuate extenuating circumstances extenuation extenuative facade face facing fakery faking false air false front false show falsify falsity fast-dye feigning feint festoon film finish fixative flourish four-flushing fraud fresco front fudge fur furbish garble gild gilding gilt glance glaze gloss gloss over grain ground guise handle hide hue humbug humbuggery ignore illuminate imbue imposture ingrain involve japan keep under cover lacquer lame excuse lay figure lay on color lessen load with ornament locus standi luster make allowance for mask masquerade maulstick medium meretriciousness mince miscite miscolor misconstrue misdirect misinterpret misquote misrender misreport misrepresent misstate misuse mitigate mitigation obfuscate obscure occult ornament ostensible motive ostentation outward show overcharge overlay overload overstate paint paintbrush palette palette knife palliate palliation palliative parget pastel pellicle pencil pervert pigment pigments playacting polish poor excuse pose posing posture pretense pretension pretext prime protestation public motive put-off qualification refuge representation revetment rub scale scour scratchboard screen scum seeming semblance shade shadow sham shellac shine show shroud siccative simulacrum simulation sketchbook sketchpad skin slant sleek slick slick down slop on paint slur over smear smoke screen soft-pedal soften softening spatula speciousness spray gun stain stalking-horse stipple strain stratagem stump subterfuge