sharpened

The only problem was that when one of these trees reached the end of its natural life, bacteria and fungal spores got ready to decompose it, sharpening their knives.

That edge was sharpened early, when he and future Celtics teammate Bill Russell won 55 straight games and two NCAA championships playing for the University of San Francisco.

It has further sharpened existing inequalities and brought about major challenges for how we physically live and work together.

There won’t be that conversation without tension, conflict, but it sharpens us, and it makes us stronger.

Paul’s sphere of influence continues to expand as he sharpens his eye for win-win deals.

The 1983 downing of KAL 007 sharpened American tensions with the Soviet Union to heights not seen since the Cuban missile crisis.

But as the civil conflict has sharpened, both sides are employing the renegade sharpshooters.

In terms of addressing veteran unemployment, Obama has evidently sharpened his focus in recent months.

But time and experience have mellowed the 54-year-old Oldman and sharpened his acting.

This further sharpened the divide within the Republican Party.

The conflict in Tom's puzzled heart sharpened that evening into dreadful edges that cut him mercilessly whichever way he turned.

The sharpened faculties have something of a lawyer's quickness in detecting a flaw in the indictment.

In spite of her sharpened wits, Mrs. Kaye smiled radiantly into Isabel's guileless eyes.

At the head they insert a bamboo knot, with its point well sharpened into two edges.

She ran her finger along the edge of the instrument—Gilbert, when at home, used to keep it nicely sharpened for her use.