sharpen
sharp|en /ʃ'ɑːrpən/ (sharpens sharpening sharpened)
1 [VERB] V, V n
If your senses, understanding, or skills sharpen or are sharpened, you become better at noticing things, thinking, or doing something.
Her gaze sharpened, as if she had seen something unusual...
You can sharpen your skills with rehearsal.
2 [VERB] V n, V-ed
If you sharpen an object, you make its edge very thin or you make its end pointed.
He started to sharpen his knife.
...sharpened pencils.
3 [VERB] V, V n
If disagreements or differences between people sharpen, or if they are sharpened, they become bigger or more important.
With urbanisation the antagonism between rich and poor sharpened...
The case of Harris has sharpened the debate over capital punishment.
1 [VERB] V, V n
If your senses, understanding, or skills sharpen or are sharpened, you become better at noticing things, thinking, or doing something.
Her gaze sharpened, as if she had seen something unusual...
You can sharpen your skills with rehearsal.
2 [VERB] V n, V-ed
If you sharpen an object, you make its edge very thin or you make its end pointed.
He started to sharpen his knife.
...sharpened pencils.
3 [VERB] V, V n
If disagreements or differences between people sharpen, or if they are sharpened, they become bigger or more important.
With urbanisation the antagonism between rich and poor sharpened...
The case of Harris has sharpened the debate over capital punishment.