schärfen
Translation
to sharpen, to hone, to focus
Examples
Ich muss das Messer schärfen.
I have to sharpen the knife.
Er will seine Sinne schärfen.
He wants to sharpen his senses.
Die Kamera schärft das Bild automatisch.
The camera focuses the image automatically.
Grammar Patterns
to sharpen ((sth.)) Er schärft den Bleistift.
to sharpen ((one's senses/gaze)) Reisen kann den Blick für andere Kulturen schärfen.
Similar Words
Synonyms: schleifen (to grind), wetzen (to whet); Antonyms: abstumpfen (to blunt)
Etymology
Derived from the adjective 'scharf' (sharp). The '-en' suffix makes it a verb, meaning 'to make sharp'.
Memory Tips
Connect it directly to 'scharf' (sharp). To 'schärfen' is to make something 'scharf'.