01 v. t. To make sweet to the taste; as, to sweeten tea.
imp. & p. p.
Sweetened; p. pr. & vb. n.
Sweetening
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1.
To make sweet to the taste; as, to sweeten tea.
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2.
To make pleasing or grateful to the mind or feelings; as, to sweeten life; to sweeten friendship.
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3.
To make mild or kind; to soften; as, to sweeten the temper.
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4.
To make less painful or laborious; to relieve; as, to sweeten the cares of life.“And sweeten every secret tear.” — Keble.
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5.
To soften to the eye; to make delicate.“Correggio has made his memory immortal by the strength he has given to his figures, and by sweetening his lights and shadows, and melting them into each other.” — Dryden.
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6.
To make pure and salubrious by destroying noxious matter; as, to sweeten rooms or apartments that have been infected; to sweeten the air.
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7.
To make warm and fertile; -- opposed to sour; as, to dry and sweeten soils.
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8.
To restore to purity; to free from taint; as, to sweeten water, butter, or meat.