furnish
Furnish (verb) means to equip a room or building with furniture. Example: “They furnished the new apartment with second-hand pieces from the market.”
How to use furnish
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo provide furniture for a space, or more broadly to supply something that is needed.
The "supply/provide" sense is fairly formal, common in legal or official writing.
Word forms
furnished past tense, furnishes plural, Furnishes plural, furnishes singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
They _____ the new apartment with second-hand pieces from the market.
Etymology
From Old French furnir/fornir, from a Frankish root meaning "to complete" or "to further/promote."
Synonyms
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Frequently asked questions
What does “furnish” mean?
The word “furnish” means to equip a room or building with furniture. In plain terms, to provide furniture for a space, or more broadly to supply something that is needed.
How do you pronounce “furnish”?
“Furnish” is pronounced FUR-nihsh (/ˈfɝnɪʃ/ in IPA).
How do you use “furnish” in a sentence?
Here is “furnish” used in a sentence: “They furnished the new apartment with second-hand pieces from the market.”
What part of speech is “furnish”?
“Furnish” is a verb.
Where does the word “furnish” come from?
The word “furnish” comes from Old French. From Old French furnir/fornir, from a Frankish root meaning "to complete" or "to further/promote.".
Is “furnish” a common word?
“Furnish” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “furnish” have?
“Furnish” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to equip a room or building with furniture.