Smartens

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Becomes neater, tidier, or more stylish in appearance ; makes someone or something more polished, neat, or fashionable
2. Improves appearance by becoming more fashionable or paying attention to detail ; improves the look of an object or person by adding style or tidiness
3. Gains a refined or dressed-up look ; enhances the neatness or style of someone or something

Etymology: The verb "smartens" is simply the third-person singular form of "smarten," which means to make something neater, more stylish, or more presentable. The verb is built from the adjective "smart" plus the suffix "-en," a common English pattern for turning adjectives into verbs that mean "to make or become" that quality, as in "widen," "darken," or "sharpen." The root adjective "smart" has an older sense of quick, sharp, or stinging, which links it to the idea of a sharp, clean-cut appearance. Over time, the sense of being neat and well-turned-out grew from that base, so to smarten something is to sharpen its look. The suffix itself traces back through Old English "-nian," which was used to form verbs from adjectives, and its descendants in Middle English took the form "-en." This ancient verb-forming pattern is why the modern verb sounds so naturally English.

Synonyms: improves, enhances

Antonyms: dulls