Word
furnish
Phoneticsfur·nish, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈfɝnɪʃ/
UK/fˈɜːnɪʃ/
Definition
v. to put furniture into a room or building. It can also mean to provide someone with something they need, like information.
v. to provide a room or building with furniture and fittings; to supply or provide something necessary. Transitive — requires a direct object.
Examples
“They need to furnish the new apartment before they move in.”
“The agency agreed to furnish the committee with all the documents required for the investigation.”
“While the landlord agreed to furnish the living area, the tenants were responsible for providing their own bedroom sets and kitchen appliances.”
Examples
simple
“They need to furnish the new apartment before they move in.”
contextual
“The agency agreed to furnish the committee with all the documents required for the investigation.”
complex
“While the landlord agreed to furnish the living area, the tenants were responsible for providing their own bedroom sets and kitchen appliances.”
Usage
The verb is transitive. When meaning 'to provide', it often follows the pattern 'furnish someone with something' or 'furnish something to someone'.
Pitfall
The room was furnished by a desk.
The room was furnished with a desk.
When describing the items inside a room, use the preposition 'with' rather than 'by'.
Real-World Examples
“If you’re testing out a new life in Spain (as I was eight years ago), you may want to rent a furnished flat, which is usually easy to find.” “When someone finally furnished me with the information that he must be somewhere nearby because they could see his shoes, I went to sleep thinking: no harm done.” Etymology
From Middle English furnysshen, from Old French furniss-, stem of certain parts of furnir, fornir (Modern French fournir), from Germanic, from Frankish frumjan (“to complete, execute”), from Proto-Germanic frumjaną (“to further, promote”), from Proto-Indo-European *promo- (“front, forward”). Cognate with Old High German frumjan (“to perform, provide”), Old High German fruma (“utility, gain”), Old English fremu (“profit, advantage”), Old English fremian (“to promote, perform”). More at frame, frim.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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