aguçar

Senses

1. 1.

   to sharpen

   to make something sharp or pointed (knife, pencil, tool)

2. 2.

   to sharpen, to hone

   to make keener or more acute (senses, skills, mind)

3. 3.

   to whet, to stimulate

   to arouse or intensify (appetite, curiosity, desire)

Examples

• "Ele aguçou a faca antes de cortar a carne."

  He sharpened the knife before cutting the meat.

• "A leitura aguça a mente e expande o vocabulário."

  Reading sharpens the mind and expands vocabulary.

• "O cheiro da comida aguçou meu apetite."

  The smell of the food whetted my appetite.

Usage

Regular -ar verb. Very common in figurative uses, especially with "apetite," "curiosidade," "sentidos," and "mente." The literal meaning (sharpening objects) is less frequent in everyday speech than the metaphorical senses.