Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Freshen

Fresh′en

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Freshened
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Freshening
]
1.
To make fresh; to separate, as water, from saline ingredients; to make less salty;
as, to
freshen
water, fish, or flesh
.
2.
To refresh; to revive.
[Obs.]
Spenser.
3.
(Naut.)
To relieve, as a rope, by change of place where friction wears it; or to renew, as the material used to prevent chafing;
as, to
freshen
a hawse
.
Totten.
To freshen ballast
(Naut.)
,
to shift Or restore it.
To freshen the hawse
,
to pay out a little more cable, so as to bring the chafe on another part.
To freshen the way
,
to increase the speed of a vessel.
Ham. Nav. Encyc.

Fresh′en

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To grow fresh; to lose saltness.
2.
To grow brisk or strong;
as, the wind
freshens
.

Webster 1828 Edition


Freshen

FRESH'EN

,
Verb.
T.
fresh'n.
1.
To make fresh; to dulcify; to separate, as water from saline particles; to take saltiness from any thing; as, to freshen water, fish or flesh.
2.
To refresh; to revive. [Not used.]
3.
In seaman's language, to apply new service to a cable; as, to freshen hawse.

FRESH'EN

, v.i.
1.
To grow fresh; to lose salt or saltiness.
2.
To grow brisk or strong; as, the wind freshens.

Definition 2024


freshen

freshen

English

Verb

freshen (third-person singular simple present freshens, present participle freshening, simple past and past participle freshened)

  1. To become fresh.
    I'm going to go freshen up.
  2. To make fresh.
  3. (of a cow) To begin or resume giving milk, especially after calving.
    • 1919 January, in The Chenango County Farm Bureau News, volume 5, number 1, page 7:
      For Sale—Three registered holstein cows. Due to freshen the first of Jan. February and March. Prices that will sell. Age three and five years. Eugune Gibson, Smyrna.
  4. To make less salty; to separate, as water, from saline ingredients.
    to freshen water, fish, or flesh
  5. To refresh; to revive.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Spenser to this entry?)
  6. (nautical) To relieve, as a rope, by change of place where friction wears it; or to renew, as the material used to prevent chafing.
    to freshen a hawse
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Totten to this entry?)
  7. To top up (a drink).
  8. (of wind) to become stronger.

Translations