[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/sharpen/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [S](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/s/) / sharpen

# sharpen

verb (sharpen, sharpens, sharpened, sharpening)

«sharpen» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To sharpen something is to make its edge or point sharper, like sharpening a pencil or a knife. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sharpen/#m1)
2. To sharpen a skill is to make it better by practice. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sharpen/#m2)
3. When a picture, sound or feeling sharpens, it becomes clearer or stronger. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sharpen/#m3)

### In the lessons

At school children sharpen pencils with a sharpener; in the kitchen adults sharpen knives (a safety job for grown-ups). Teachers say «sharpen your maths skills» or «sharpen your mind». Phrases: «sharpen a pencil», «sharpen up», «pencil sharpener».

### Examples

- Please sharpen your pencil before the test. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sharpen/#x1)
- Dad sharpens the kitchen knives on a stone. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sharpen/#x2)
- Practising every day will sharpen your spelling. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sharpen/#x3)
- The eagle's eyes are sharp; it doesn't need to sharpen them! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sharpen/#x4)
- The picture sharpened when I turned the lens. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sharpen/#x5)
- I need to sharpen my coloured pencils. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sharpen/#x6)
- Quiz games help sharpen your memory. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sharpen/#x7)
- The beaver sharpened the end of the stick with its teeth. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sharpen/#x8)
- Then he sat down and began sharpening his knife again. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sharpen/#x9)

### Note

Regular verb: past «sharpened». It comes from sharp + -en, which means «make more». The tool is a «sharpener». Safety: only adults should sharpen knives, and a sharpened knife cuts more easily, so handle it with care.

## In Jewish tradition

Here the Israelites had to go down to Philistine smiths to sharpen their farm tools, because the Philistines allowed no smiths in Israel.

**Interpretation.** Tradition sees this as a sign of how completely Israel was under Philistine control before Saul and David.

### Examples

- but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his plowshare, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock. (Prophets 1SA.13.20, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/sharpen/#x1)

### Note

Regular verb: past «sharpened». It comes from sharp + -en, which means «make more». The tool is a «sharpener». Safety: only adults should sharpen knives, and a sharpened knife cuts more easily, so handle it with care.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «sharpen» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sharpen/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«sharpen» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/sharpen.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «sharpen» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/sharpen/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«sharpen» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/sharpen.html) on Mova free.