sharpen

verb (used with or without object)

1. to make or become sharp or sharper.

verb

1. to make or become sharp or sharper
2. music to raise the pitch of (a note), esp by one chromatic semitoneUsual US and Canadian word: sharp

v.1520s, “bring to an edge or point,” from sharp (adj.) + -en (1). Related: Sharpened; sharpening. Old English verb scearpian meant “to score, scarify;” cf. scearpung “scarifying.” To sharpen (one’s) pencil “prepare to get to work” is from 1957, American English.