sharpen

Word family  noun sharpener sharpness sharp adjective sharp verb sharpen adverb sharp sharply sharpish

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++sharp·en /ˈʃɑːpən $ ˈʃɑːr-/ ●○○ verb  1  [intransitive, transitive]SHARP to make something have a sharper edge or point, or to become sharper （使）变锋利[尖锐] Anne sharpened her pencil and got out her homework. 安妮把铅笔削尖，然后拿出家庭作业来。2  [transitive]INCREASE IN ACTIVITY, FEELINGS ETC to make a feeling stronger and more urgent 使〔某种感觉〕增强，加强 A series of attacks have sharpened fears of more violence. 一连串的袭击事件使人们愈发担心会发生更多暴力事件。3  [transitive] (also sharpen something ↔ up) to improve something so that it is up to the necessary standard, quality etc 使提高，使改进 The course will help students sharpen their writing skills. 这门课程将帮助学生提高写作技巧。→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

sharpen• Sharpen all your pencils before the test.• Below 200 K the chains are virtually immobile, but above 200 K the lines sharpen as rotation begins.• In the dying light other songbirds sharpen calls and phrases, some learned in far places, other continents.• Nick sat down at his desk, sharpened his pencil and began to draw.• Knock it senseless every hour when it raised its fanged head and decided to sharpen its nasty little claws.• My mother used a special stone to sharpen kitchen knives.• The images sharpened on screen as the camera focused.• Recent developments have given our leaders a sharpened sense of responsibility.• It wasn't electric, and they never sharpened the barbed wire at the top.• The resulting increase in production should sharpen the instructional focus of the materials.• A brief moon between clouds outside sharpened the lines of boxwood that led to the wooden gate.• This course will give students a chance to sharpen their problem-solving skills.• At San Quentin, Kirkpatrick stabbed one of his lawyers 17 times with a sharpened toothbrush.

sharp·en verbChineseSyllable  

a Corpus have something sharper to make

sharpen
sharp‧en /ˈʃɑːpən $ ˈʃɑːr-/ verb1. [intransitive and transitive] to make something have a sharper edge or point, or to become sharper:
    Anne sharpened her pencil and got out her homework.
2. [transitive] to make a feeling stronger and more urgent:
    A series of attacks have sharpened fears of more violence.
3. [transitive] (also sharpen something ↔ up) to improve something so that it is up to the necessary standard, quality etc:
    The course will help students sharpen their writing skills.

sharp·enBrE /ˈʃɑːpən/ 🔊NAmE /ˈʃɑːrpən/ 🔊 verbpresent simple - I / you / we / they sharpen BrE /ˈʃɑːpən/ 🔊 NAmE /ˈʃɑːrpən/ 🔊present simple - he / she / it sharpens BrE /ˈʃɑːpənz/ 🔊 NAmE /ˈʃɑːrpənz/ 🔊past simple sharpened BrE /ˈʃɑːpənd/ 🔊 NAmE /ˈʃɑːrpənd/ 🔊past participle sharpened BrE /ˈʃɑːpənd/ 🔊 NAmE /ˈʃɑːrpənd/ 🔊 -ing form sharpening BrE /ˈʃɑːpənɪŋ/ 🔊 NAmE /ˈʃɑːrpənɪŋ/ 🔊 [transitive, intransitive] ~ (sth) to make sth sharper; to become sharper （使）变得锋利，变得清晰◆This knife needs sharpening. 这把刀需要磨了。🔊🔊◆The outline of the trees sharpened as it grew lighter. 随着天色转亮，树的轮廓变得清晰了。🔊🔊 [intransitive, transitive] ~ (sth) if a sense or feeling sharpens or sth sharpens it, it becomes stronger and/or clearer （使感觉或感情）加强，加重，变得更明显◆The sea air sharpened our appetites. 海上的空气增进了我们的食欲。🔊🔊 [transitive] ~ sth to make a disagreement between people, or an issue on which people disagree, clearer and more likely to produce a result 使尖锐；使明朗◆There is a need to sharpen the focus of the discussion. 有必要使讨论的焦点更加集中。🔊🔊 [intransitive, transitive] to become or make sth better, more skilful, more effective, etc. than before （使）提高，改善 SYN improve ◆~ (up) He needs to sharpen up before the Olympic trials. 在奥运会选拔赛之前，他需要进一步磨砺自己。🔊🔊◆~ sth (up) She's doing a course to sharpen her business skills. 她正进修，以提高自己的业务技能。🔊🔊 [intransitive, transitive] ~ (sth) if your voice sharpens or sth sharpens it, it becomes high and loud in an unpleasant way （使声音）变得尖锐，变得刺耳