thicken

thicken
verb (thickened; thickening) Date: 14th century intransitive verb 1. a. to become dense <
the mist thickened
>
b. to become concentrated in numbers, mass, or frequency 2. to grow blurred or obscure 3. to grow broader or bulkier 4. to grow complicated or keen <
the plot thickens
>
transitive verb 1. a. to make thick, dense, or viscous in consistency <
thicken gravy with flour
>
b. to make close or compact 2. to increase the depth or diameter of 3. to make inarticulate ; blur <
alcohol thickened his speech
>
thickener noun

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Thicken — Thick en, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Thickened}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Thickening}.] To make thick (in any sense of the word). Specifically: [1913 Webster] (a) To render dense; to inspissate; as, to thicken paint. [1913 Webster] (b) To make close; to fill… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Thicken — Thick en, v. i. To become thick. Thy luster thickens when he shines by. Shak. [1913 Webster] The press of people thickens to the court. Dryden. [1913 Webster] The combat thickens, like the storm that flies. Dryden. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • thicken — index crystallize Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • thicken — (v.) early 15c. (trans.), 1590s (intrans.), from THICK (Cf. thick) + EN (Cf. en) (1). Related: Thickened; thickening. An earlier verb was O.E. þiccian …   Etymology dictionary

  • thicken — [v] set; make more dense add, buttress, cake, clabber, clot, coagulate, condense, congeal, curdle, deepen, enlarge, expand, freeze, gel, grow thick, harden, inspissate, jell, jelly, ossify, petrify, reinforce, solidify, stiffen, swell, widen;… …   New thesaurus

  • thicken — ► VERB ▪ make or become thick or thicker. ● the plot thickens Cf. ↑the plot thickens DERIVATIVES thickener noun …   English terms dictionary

  • thicken — [thik′ən] vt., vi. 1. to make or become thick or thicker, as in dimension, density, consistency, articulation, etc. 2. to make or become more complex or involved [the plot thickened] thickener n …   English World dictionary

  • thicken — thick|en [ˈθıkən] v [I and T] to become thick, or make something thick ▪ The fog was beginning to thicken. ▪ Thicken the soup by adding potatoes. thicken sth with sth ▪ a stew thickened with lentils and vegetables →the plot thickens at ↑plot1 (3) …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • thicken — [[t]θɪ̱kən[/t]] thickens, thickening, thickened 1) V ERG When you thicken a liquid or it thickens, it becomes stiffer and more solid. [V n] Thicken the broth with the cornflour... Keep stirring until the sauce thickens. 2) VERB If something… …   English dictionary

  • thicken — verb (I, T) to become thick, or make something thick: The fog was beginning to thicken. | thicken sth: You can thicken a sauce by adding cornstarch. see also: the plot thickens plot 1 (3) …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • thicken — UK [ˈθɪkən] / US verb [intransitive/transitive] Word forms thicken : present tense I/you/we/they thicken he/she/it thickens present participle thickening past tense thickened past participle thickened to become thick, or to make something become… …   English dictionary

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