sharpen — to make something sharp or sharper
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to make something sharp or sharper
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈʃɑːrpən/
Example Sentences
- The chef sharpened his knife so much that it could slice a tomato paper-thin.
- She decided to sharpen her English skills by watching K-dramas with English subtitles.
- The teacher told us to sharpen our pencils, but mine was already sharper than her wit.
sharpen
VERB[/ˈʃɑːrpən/]
to make something sharp or sharper
While the old pencil was completely dull and useless, the artist used a blade to sharpen the tip.
SHARP (pointed) + EN (make into) — by rubbing the kitchen knife against the rough stone to EN (make) it SHARP (pointed), the cook managed to sharpen the blade.
The arrow was sharp, the harp strings were taut, and the craftsman stopped to sharpen his blade.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from Old English 'scearp', meaning 'sharp' or 'keen', combined with the causative verb-forming suffix '-en'. This construction transformed the adjective into a verb meaning 'to make sharp'.
Breakdown
sharp (keen, having a fine edge) + -en (causative suffix forming verbs meaning 'to make' or 'to become').
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The chef sharpened his knife so much that it could slice a tomato paper-thin.”
“She decided to sharpen her English skills by watching K-dramas with English subtitles.”
“The teacher told us to sharpen our pencils, but mine was already sharper than her wit.”
“Regular exercise can sharpen your concentration and memory.”
📚Related Words
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