aiguiser

to sharpen, to whet

verb eh-gwee-ZEH Rare

Also means

to hone, to stimulate

Usage Note

Aiguiser applies to both physical sharpening (aiguiser un couteau — to sharpen a knife) and figurative stimulation (aiguiser l'appétit — to whet the appetite; aiguiser l'esprit — to sharpen the mind). The noun aiguisoir means a knife sharpener; a aiguiseur is the person who sharpens blades.

Examples

"Il faut aiguiser ce couteau."

Natural Translation

This knife needs sharpening.

Literal Translation

One must sharpen this knife.

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