different between strengthen vs stiffen
strengthen
English
Etymology
From rare Middle English strengthenen (14th c.), from earlier strengthen (12th c.), where -en is the infinitive ending. Probably the original form was reinterpreted as strength +? -en around the time when the infinitive ending was being apocopated in late Middle English.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /?st???(k)??n/, /?st??n??n/
Verb
strengthen (third-person singular simple present strengthens, present participle strengthening, simple past and past participle strengthened)
- (transitive) To make strong or stronger; to add strength to; to increase the strength of; to fortify.
- c. 1600, William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 2
- Let noble Warwick, Cobham, and the rest, […]
With powerful policy strengthen themselves.
- Let noble Warwick, Cobham, and the rest, […]
- 1851, Anonymous, Arthur Hamilton, and His Dog
- A little hardship, and a little struggling with the rougher elements of life, will perchance but strengthen and increase his courage, and prepare him for the conflicts and struggles of after years.
- c. 1600, William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 2
- (transitive) To empower; to give moral strength to; to encourage; to enhearten.
- 1769, The King James Bible, Deuteronomy iii. 28
- Charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him.
- "A fine man, that Dunwody, yonder," commented the young captain, as they parted, and as he turned to his prisoner. "We'll see him on in Washington some day. He is strengthening his forces now against Mr. Benton out there. […]."
- 1769, The King James Bible, Deuteronomy iii. 28
- (transitive) To augment; to improve; to intensify.
- (transitive) To reinforce, to add to, to support (someone or something)
- (transitive) To substantiate; to corroborate (a belief, argument, etc.)
- (intransitive) To grow strong or stronger.
Synonyms
- (to make strong or stronger): See also Thesaurus:strengthen
- (to augment): See also Thesaurus:augment
Antonyms
- weaken
- atrophy
Derived terms
- strengthener
Translations
References
- strengthen in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
Middle English
Alternative forms
- strenkþen, strengþen, strengþe, strengþi, strengthe, strenght, strenthe, streynght, streynthyn, streyngthe
- (early) strengðden, strengþin, strencþen
Etymology
From strengthe +? -en.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /?str?nk??n/, /?str?n?ð?n/
- (dialectal) IPA(key): /?str?n??n/, /?str?i?n??n/
Verb
strengthen
- to strengthen, fortify (increase the strength of)
- 1395, John Wycliffe, Bible, Job IV:
- Lo! thou hast tau?t ful many men, and thou hast strengthid hondis maad feynt.
- 1395, John Wycliffe, Bible, Job IV:
- to empower, to augment (increase the potency or severity of)
- to enhearten, to encourage (increase the morale of)
- to assist, to support (someone or something)
- to substantiate; to corroborate (a belief, argument, etc.)
- to approve or validate (a document).
- to endeavour; to rouse oneself.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Chaucer to this entry?)
Conjugation
Descendants
- English: strength
References
- “strengthen, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
strengthen From the web:
- what strengthens nails
- what strengthens teeth
- what strengthens bones
- what strengthens your immune system
- what strengthens hair
- what strengthens your bones
- what strengthens the immune system
- what strengthened the feudal system
stiffen
English
Etymology
From Middle English stifnen, equivalent to stiff +? -en.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /?st?f?n/
- Rhymes: -?f?n
Verb
stiffen (third-person singular simple present stiffens, present participle stiffening, simple past and past participle stiffened)
- (transitive) To make stiff.
- (intransitive) To become stiff.
Synonyms
- starken
Derived terms
- stiffen up
Related terms
- stiff
Translations
Anagrams
- infefts
stiffen From the web:
- what stiffens the plasma membrane
- what stiffens the walls of the arteries
- what stiffens frosting
- what stiffens fabric
- what stiffens poop
- what stiffens whipped cream
- what stiffness arteries
- what stiffens arteries
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