harden
3 ENTRIES FOUND:
hardens;
hardened;
hardening
hardens;
hardened;
hardening
Britannica Dictionary definition of HARDEN
1
:
to become hard or firm or to make (something) hard or firm
[no object]
-
It will take several hours for the concrete to harden (into a solid block).
-
The gel hardens quickly.
-
The presence of certain substances in the blood can cause the arteries to harden.
[+ object]
-
These additives are designed to harden the steel.
-
substances that can harden the arteries
2
:
to become more definite and strongly felt or to make (something) more definite and strongly felt
[no object]
-
Opposition to the government has hardened as news of further scandals has leaked out.
[+ object]
-
The news has hardened opposition to the government.
3
[+ object]
:
to make (someone) hard
:
to make (someone) less emotional and less likely to feel sorry for other people
-
He had been hardened by his years of military service.
4
[no object]
:
to begin to be or seem harsh, angry, serious, etc.
-
Her voice/manner hardened as she spoke of her determination to win.
harden your heart
◊ If you harden your heart or if something hardens your heart, you stop having kind or friendly feelings for someone.
-
She hardened her heart against him.
— hardening
noun [noncount]-
hardening of the arteries
