0 to make something sharp or sharper -- 使变尖；使锋利
My pencil is blunt - I'll have to sharpen it. 我的铅笔钝了——我得削一下。
figurative The company is cutting production costs in an attempt to sharpen its competitive edge (= in order to improve how competitive it is). 这家公司正降低生产成本，以增强竞争力。
1 to make something stronger -- 加强；加剧
Recent changes have sharpened competition between the airlines. 近来的种种变化加剧了航空公司之间的竞争。
The prison riots have sharpened the debate about how prisons should be run. 监狱暴动加剧了有关监狱该如何管理的争论。
I hope this course will help me sharpen my computer skills. 我希望这门课程能帮助我提高电脑操作技能。
I went to university to sharpen my mind. 我上大学是为了让自己的头脑更加敏锐。
We'll need to sharpen our wits if we're going to defeat Jack's team. 要击败杰克的队，我们需要更加聪明一些。
2 to make something clearer -- 使清晰；使清楚
3 to make something play a higher musical note -- 使提高音调；使提高半音
I need to sharpen that knife.
She sharpened the blade.
Much of this research was critical, it sharpened and clarified the concepts and broke down the wide generalities of the earlier theories.
Depending on the weighting term, the tuning either sharpened or broadened, reproducing the range of behaviors we observed.
After the dura mater was excised, the pia mater was eliminated under the microscope control with a tungsten wire sharpened to 1-2 mm.
