sharpen
1. make sharp or sharper (Freq. 1)
- sharpen the knives
• Ant:
dull
• Derivationally related forms:
sharpener
• Hypernyms:
change, alter, modify
• Hyponyms:
strap, edge, strop, whet, hone
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Something ----s something
2. make crisp or more crisp and precise (Freq. 1)
- We had to sharpen our arguments
• Hypernyms:
intensify, compound, heighten, deepen
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Something ----s something
3. become sharp or sharper (Freq. 1)
- The debate sharpened
• Hypernyms:
intensify, deepen
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
4. put (an image) into focus (Freq. 1)
- Please focus the image; we cannot enjoy the movie
• Syn:
focus, focalize, focalise
• Ant:
blur (for: focus)
• See Also:
focus on (for: focus)
• Derivationally related forms:
focalisation (for: focalise), focalization (for: focalize), focus (for: focus), focusing (for: focus)
• Hypernyms:
adjust, set, correct
• Hyponyms:
refocus
• Cause:
focus, focalize, focalise
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Something ----s something
- Somebody ----s something PP
5. make (images or sounds) sharp or sharper
• Ant:
soften
• Hypernyms:
change intensity
• Hyponyms:
focus
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Something ----s somebody
- Something ----s something
6. raise the pitch of (musical notes)
• Ant:
flatten
• Topics:
music
• Hypernyms:
change, alter, modify
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
7. make (one's senses) more acute
- This drug will sharpen your vision
• Syn:
heighten
• Hypernyms:
intensify, compound, heighten, deepen
• Hyponyms:
subtilize, subtilise
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Something ----s something
8. give a point to
- The candles are tapered
• Syn:
taper, point
• See Also:
taper off (for: taper)
• Derivationally related forms:
point (for: point), taper (for: taper)
• Hypernyms:
change shape, change form, deform
• Hyponyms:
acuminate
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
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