Crossword clues for sharpening
sharpening
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Sharpen \Sharp"en\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Sarpened; p. pr. & vb. n. Sharpening.] [See Sharp, a.] To make sharp. Specifically:
To give a keen edge or fine point to; to make sharper; as, to sharpen an ax, or the teeth of a saw.
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To render more quick or acute in perception; to make more ready or ingenious.
The air . . . sharpened his visual ray To objects distant far.
--Milton.He that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves and sharpens our skill.
--Burke. -
To make more eager; as, to sharpen men's desires.
Epicurean cooks Sharpen with cloyless sauce his appetite.
--Shak. To make more pungent and intense; as, to sharpen a pain or disease.
To make biting, sarcastic, or severe. ``Sharpen each word.''
--E. Smith.-
To render more shrill or piercing.
Inclosures not only preserve sound, but increase and sharpen it.
--Bacon. To make more tart or acid; to make sour; as, the rays of the sun sharpen vinegar.
(Mus.) To raise, as a sound, by means of a sharp; to apply a sharp to.
Wiktionary
n. 1 The act by which something is sharpened. 2 (context in the plural English) The debris produced when a pencil is sharpened. vb. (present participle of sharpen English)
Wikipedia
Sharpening is the process of creating or refining a sharp edge of appropriate shape on a tool or implement designed for cutting. Sharpening is done by grinding away material on the implement with an abrasive substance harder than the material of the implement, followed sometimes by processes to polish the sharp surface to increase smoothness and to correct small mechanical deformations without regrinding.
Usage examples of "sharpening".
On reaching the veranda I found Umslopogaas sitting there, slowly and lightly sharpening his axe with a small whetstone he always carried with him.
With dimness came a sharpening of smell: dry earth, sour sweat, the faint and distracting scent of water, and the cutting flavor of ginger on her tongue.
Soldiers sat around them sharpening swords, polishing helmets, and repairing harness.
I said, a sudden wash of anger and embarrassment coloring my face, sharpening my tone.
He was bare-chested, sharpening his shaving knife on a stone, and he shrugged when he saw me notice the woven braid.
I left him shaving and went outside into the new sunshine where Agravain was sharpening a boar spear.
White-coated butlers were sliding tall Chinese panels into wall slots, disclosing a long dining room and a heavily laden buffet table, where two chefs were sharpening knives over steaming hams and turkeys.
She was fairly certain he would neither start sharpening stakes nor looking up the phone numbers for the tabloids.
When we came down Umslopogaas was still sharpening Inkosi-kaas, although she already had an edge like a razor.
And certainly he did seem an alarming object -- sitting there, Zulu fashion, on his haunches, a wild look upon his intensely savage and yet intellectual face, sharpening, sharpening, sharpening at the murderous-looking axe.
For a moment Umslopogaas looked up from his sharpening, and a sort of evil light played in his dark eyes.
Heriburg was wedged between cart wheel and stone wall stubbornly sharpening willow wands into pointed sticks which might be used as weapons in close quarters if all else failed.
Loman patiently and caringly teaching him how to use a sharpening stone.
There were knives for various purposes, but their sharpening left something to be desired.
She had not accepted a ride once, which he had not expected anyway, seeing how Aiel felt about riding, but she had made no trouble either, unless sharpening her knife every time they halted could be considered provocative.