sharpen
gb/ʃˈɑɹpən/ us/ʃˈɑɹpən/
A2
Inglese
~ 9700
Accezioni
0 accezioni
Verbo
A2
action
1
make a blade or point sharp
To make the edge or point of something sharp so it can cut or write better.
Schema d'uso:
to sharpen [something]
Errore comune:
Learners sometimes say *make it more sharp* instead of *sharpen it*. Use the verb *sharpen* when talking about making a tool, knife, or pencil sharp.
Sinonimi
hone (More often used for blades and tools, slightly more technical or formal.)
|
grind (Focuses on the physical process of wearing something down, not always to make it sharp.)
Contrari
dull (Means to make an edge less sharp so it does not cut well.)
Collocazioni
sharpen a pencil
|sharpen a knife
|sharpen the blade
|sharpen the point
|sharpen the scissors
|sharpen tools
Temi
daily life
|tools
|work
|daily_life
Esempi
- He took the knife outside to sharpen it on the stone.
- Can you sharpen this pencil for me before the meeting?
- The chef always sharpens her knives before service.
- The hunter stopped to sharpen the point of his arrow.
- Use this tool to sharpen your garden shears once a month.
Esempi per chi studia
- I need to sharpen my pencil.
- The cook sharpens the big knife every day.
- He used a stone to sharpen the old blade.
- Please sharpen these scissors; they do not cut well.
- She went to the machine to sharpen her colored pencils.
Verbo
B2
action
2
improve a skill or ability
To make a skill or ability better and more exact, usually by practice.
Schema d'uso:
to sharpen [someone's] [skill/ability]
Errore comune:
Learners may say *make my skills more sharp* instead of *sharpen my skills*. Use *sharpen* directly with abstract nouns like *skills*, *abilities*, or *strategy*.
Sinonimi
refine (Suggests making small, careful improvements to something already good.)
|
develop (Broader and more general; does not always suggest precision or fine-tuning.)
Contrari
neglect (If you neglect a skill, you do not practice it, so it becomes weaker instead of sharper.)
Collocazioni
sharpen your skills
|sharpen your English
|sharpen your game
|sharpen their strategy
|sharpen professional skills
|sharpen your writing
Temi
education
|work
|self-improvement
Esempi
- The course is designed to sharpen your communication skills.
- Playing chess regularly can sharpen your strategic thinking.
- She moved abroad to sharpen her language skills.
- The team hired a coach to sharpen their defense before the tournament.
- Reading every day will sharpen your writing style over time.
Esempi per chi studia
- I want to sharpen my English before I travel.
- This class helps students sharpen their speaking skills.
- Practice will sharpen your guitar skills.
- He watches games to sharpen his understanding of football.
- The company offers training to sharpen workers' computer skills.
Verbo
B2
action
3
intensify or clarify senses or feelings
To make a feeling, sense, or attention stronger and clearer.
Schema d'uso:
to sharpen [abstract noun]
Errore comune:
Learners sometimes overuse *increase* and do not use *sharpen* with abstract nouns. Use *sharpen* when the feeling or attention becomes not only stronger, but also more clear or focused, as in *sharpen your focus* or *sharpen awareness*.
Sinonimi
heighten (Stresses making something stronger, especially feelings or awareness, without the idea of precision.)
|
intensify (Focuses on strength, not on clarity or accuracy.)
Contrari
dull (In this abstract sense, *dull* means to weaken feelings or reduce attention and awareness.)
Collocazioni
sharpen your focus
|sharpen the senses
|sharpen awareness
|sharpen the appetite
|sharpen tensions
|sharpen expectations
Temi
emotions
|psychology
|daily life
|health
Esempi
- Coffee in the morning helps sharpen my focus.
- The cold air seemed to sharpen her senses as she stepped outside.
- The crisis only served to sharpen public anger at the government.
- Living abroad can sharpen your awareness of cultural differences.
- The smell of garlic and herbs sharpened his appetite.
Esempi per chi studia
- A short break can sharpen your focus.
- The strong smell of food sharpened my hunger.
- The loud noise sharpened his fear.
- Travel can sharpen your awareness of other cultures.
- The teacher asked a question to sharpen the students' attention.
Verbo
B2
action
4
make image or sound clearer
To make a picture, video, or sound clearer and easier to see or hear, often with a computer tool.
Schema d'uso:
to sharpen [image/sound/line]
Errore comune:
Learners may confuse *sharpen* with *zoom* or *enlarge*. *Sharpen* is about clarity and detail, not about size.
Sinonimi
enhance (General term for improving quality; does not specifically refer to edges or contrast.)
|
clarify (Can be used for sound or image, but is less technical and more general than *sharpen*.)
Contrari
blur (Means to make an image or line less clear and less sharp, often the direct opposite action in editing.)
Collocazioni
sharpen the image
|sharpen the photo
|sharpen the picture
|sharpen the edges
|sharpen the sound
|sharpen the contrast
Temi
technology
|media
|art
Esempi
- Use this filter to sharpen the image before printing.
- The editor asked the designer to sharpen the logo so it looks crisp on screen.
- You can sharpen the photo slightly to bring out more detail.
- The audio engineer managed to sharpen the sound of the singer's voice.
- Zooming in too far will make it hard to sharpen the picture properly.
Esempi per chi studia
- I used an app to sharpen the photo.
- This tool can sharpen the lines in your drawing.
- She tried to sharpen the picture, but it was too dark.
- The program lets you sharpen the edges of the image.
- He clicked a button to sharpen the sound in the video.
Verbo
C1
action
5
become sharp, clear, or intense
To get sharper, clearer, or stronger by itself, without someone directly making it so.
Schema d'uso:
[something] sharpens
Errore comune:
Learners sometimes use *sharpen* only as a transitive verb. It can also be intransitive, as in *the image sharpened* or *tension sharpened*.
Sinonimi
intensify (Stresses strength; *sharpen* also suggests clarity or definition.)
|
clarify (Similar when talking about ideas or images becoming clearer, but less about edges or precision.)
Contrari
blur (When an image or boundary blurs, it becomes less sharp or clear, the opposite of sharpening.)
Collocazioni
image sharpens
|focus sharpens
|tension sharpens
|competition sharpens
|senses sharpen
|features sharpen
Temi
daily life
|emotions
|situations
|core_vocabulary
Esempi
- As the fog lifted, the outline of the mountains slowly sharpened.
- The picture sharpened as the camera found its focus.
- Public debate sharpened in the weeks before the election.
- His features seemed to sharpen as he lost weight.
- Competition has sharpened over the past few years.
Esempi per chi studia
- When you turn the ring, the image sharpens.
- As the clouds moved, the view of the city sharpened.
- Before the test, students' attention sharpens.
- Over time, the conflict between the two groups sharpened.
- Her senses sharpened when she heard a strange sound.
Grammatica
Forma base
sharpen
IPA
GB/ʃˈɑɹpən/
US/ʃˈɑɹpən/
Sillabe e accento
sharpen (1 sillaba)
Stress on 1st syllable (sharpen)
Forme flesse
Verb
- Base: sharpen
- 3rd Person Singular: sharpens
- Present Participle: sharpening
- Past: sharpened
Famiglia di parole
Espressioni
sharpen someone's skills
1/ʃˈɑɹpən sˈʌmwˌʌnz skˈɪlz/
fixed phrase
improve someone's skills
To make a person's skills better and more exact, usually by practice or learning.
Esempi
- This workshop will help sharpen your leadership skills.
- He took evening classes to sharpen his computer skills.
sharpen the appetite
1/ʃˈɑɹpən ðə ˈæpɪtˌaɪt/
fixed phrase
make someone more hungry
To make someone feel more hungry and want to eat more.
Esempi
- A short walk before dinner can sharpen the appetite.
- The smell of fresh bread really sharpened my appetite.
sharpen the contrast
1/ʃˈɑɹpən ðə kˈɑntɹæst/
fixed phrase
technical
increase contrast or difference
To make the difference clearer, especially between light and dark in a picture, or between two ideas.
Esempi
- You can sharpen the contrast in the photo to make the colors pop.
- The writer sharpened the contrast between the two characters' choices.
sharpen up
1/ʃˈɑɹpən ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
improve or become more focused
To improve how you act, work, or think, and become more careful, focused, or effective.
Esempi
- You need to sharpen up if you want to keep this job.
- The coach told the players to sharpen up before the second half.
- Her work has really sharpened up since the last review.
sharpen your focus
1/ʃˈɑɹpən jˈʊɹ fˈoʊkəs/
fixed phrase
increase your concentration
To make your attention stronger and more directed at one thing.
Esempi
- Turn off notifications to sharpen your focus while studying.
- Meditation can help you sharpen your focus at work.
sharpen your mind
1/ʃˈɑɹpən jˈʊɹ mˈaɪnd/
fixed phrase
make your thinking clearer
To make your thinking faster, clearer, and better at solving problems.
Esempi
- Puzzles and reading can help sharpen your mind as you get older.
- Learning a new language is a great way to sharpen your mind.
sharpen your wits
1/ʃˈɑɹpən jˈʊɹ wˈɪts/
idiom
improve quick mental reactions
To make your quick thinking and clever reactions better and faster.
Esempi
- You’ll need to sharpen your wits to win this game.
- Debate club is a good place to sharpen your wits.