unvarnishedadj.
/(ˌ)ʌnˈvɑːnɪʃt/, U.S. /ˌənˈvɑrnɪʃt/ 1.
a. figurative. Of statements, etc.: Not embellished or rendered specious; plain, direct.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > plainness > [adjective]
nakedOE
simplea1382
meanc1450
rural1488
misorned1512
inornate?1518
barec1540
broad1588
bald1589
kersey1598
russet1598
unvarnisheda1616
unembellished1630
illaborate1631
severe1665
renable1674
small1678
unadorned1692
inelaborate1747
unlarded1748
chaste1753
uncoloured1845
minimalist1929
spare1965
a1616 W. Shakespeare Othello (1622) i. iii. 90 I will a round vnuarnish'd tale deliuer, Of my whole course of loue. View more context for this quotation
1780 E. Burke Speech Bristol previous to Election 12 This is a true, unvarnished, undisguised state of the affair.
1790 J. Wolcot Advice to Future Laureat ii. i Were I monarch of this mighty isle! By verse unvarnish'd should my merits smile.
1806 T. S. Surr Winter in London III. ix. 238 State to this company, without exaggeration, and without palliation, your own unvarnished story!
1883 M. B. Betham-Edwards Disarmed xxxi Valerian..had set out with the intention of adhering to the unvarnished truth, but finally ended in romancing.
b. Of persons, etc.: Unsophisticated, unpolished; plain and simple.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > unaffectedness or naturalness > [adjective] > unsophisticated
plainc1425
homelyc1426
homespun1590
brown bread1606
unsophisticate1607
simple1613
uncompounded1615
uncourtlike1659
unsophisticated1665
russet-coated1683
buff1792
unvarnished1827
rube1898
cracker-barrel1933
haimish1957
bakya1960
1827 R. Pollok Course of Time II. viii. 103 A congregation..Of unappendaged, and unvarnished men; Of plain, unceremonious human beings.
1831 M. Berry Soc. Life Eng. & Fr. 192 Strong appeals to all the unvarnished feelings of human nature.
1863 Mrs. H. Wood Verner's Pride II. ix. 115 Lady Verner liked Lord Garle..ten times better than she liked unvarnished Jan.
2. Not covered with, or as with, varnish.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > ornamental art and craft > japanning and varnishing > [adjective] > varnished > not
unvarnished1758
1758 A. Reid tr. P. J. Macquer Elements Theory & Pract. Chym. I. 372 Into an unvarnished earthen dish put the quantity of Tin you intend to calcine.
1785 W. Cowper Task vi. 174 The deep dark green of whose unvarnish'd leaf, illumines more The bright profusion of her scatter'd stars.
1875 T. Seaton Man. Fret Cutting 33 The mortification of ultimately finding some place left unvarnished or unfinished.
Derivatives
unˈvarnishedly adv.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > plainness > [adverb] > straightforwardly or directly
platc1375
in short and plainc1386
plaina1387
platlyc1390
in (also at, on, unto) (a, the) plainc1395
roundc1405
homelya1413
directly1509
roundly1528
point-blank1598
in good set termsa1616
broadly1624
crudely1638
plain downa1640
plumply1726
plumpa1734
squably1737
straightforward1809
unvarnishedly1824
pine-blank1834
blankly1846
squarely1860
straight out1874
straightforwardly1906
1824 J. Hogg Tales & Sketches V. 68 I had kept by the naked truth too unvarnishedly.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1926; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adj.a1616