thickening

noun

1. a making or becoming thick.
2. a thickened part or area; swelling.
3. something used to thicken; thickener.

verb (used with or without object)

1. to make or become thick or thicker.
2. to make or grow more intense, profound, intricate, or complex: The plot thickens.

noun

1. something added to a liquid to thicken it
2. a thickened part or piece

verb

1. to make or become thick or thickerthicken the soup by adding flour
2. (intr) to become more involvedthe plot thickened

n.“substance used to thicken something,” 1839, verbal noun from thicken. v.early 15c. (transitive), 1590s (intransitive), from thick + -en (1). Related: Thickened; thickening. An earlier verb was Old English þiccian.