verb
Meaning 1
To become fresh.
To be refreshed.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
freshen
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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/ˈfɹɛʃən/
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Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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frĕshʹən
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rhymes with -ɛʃən
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CMU ARPABET: F R EH1 SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
verb
Meaning 2
To become fresh.
To become cool.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
- 1793, uncredited translator, The Natural History of Birds by Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon, London: A. Strahan and T. Cadell, Volume 4, “The Titiri, or Pipiri,” p. 468, They breed, says M. Deshayes, in the heats of autumn, and during the freshening air of winter, at St. Domingo ...
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 3
To become fresh.
To become not salty, to lose its salinity. (of water)
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 4
To become stronger.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
- wind force three, freshening from the southwest
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 5
To begin or resume giving milk, especially after calving; to cause to resume giving milk.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 6
To make fresh.
To refresh; to revive; to renew.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
- 1657, John Davies (translator), Astrea by Honoré d'Urfé, London: H. Moseley et al., Volume 2, Part 3, Book 1, pp. 122-123, ... the good Druid went to seeke out some hearbs by the bank sides, which he knew were good to be applyed unto my wounds, and which would a little freshen and invigorate my spirits;
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 7
To make fresh.
To make cool.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 8
To make fresh.
To make green (vegetation that has become dry).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
- 1915, Edward Sorenson, On the Wallaby, Sydney: The Catholic Press, Chapter 11, [The animals] were not valuable enough to be worth the trouble of saving until rain came to fill the holes and freshen the pastures.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 9
To make fresh.
To remove or cover unpleasant qualities such as staleness, bad odour or taste (in air, breath, water, etc.).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 10
To make fresh.
To touch up (makeup); to give (a body part, especially the face) a quick wash.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 11
To make fresh.
To touch up the paint on (something).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 12
To give redness to (the face or cheeks of a person with light skin).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 13
To make less salty; to separate, as water, from saline ingredients.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
- to freshen water, fish, or flesh
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 14
To relieve, as a rope, by change of place where friction wears it; or to renew, as the material used to prevent chafing.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Topics: nautical, transport
Examples
- to freshen a hawse
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 15
To top up (a drink).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 16
To top up (primer) in a firearm.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 17
make fresh again
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: refresh, refreshen
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: change, alter, modify
verb
Meaning 18
become or make oneself fresh again
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- She freshened up after the tennis game
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: refresh, refreshen, freshen up
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: change
Narrower terms: wash up, lave
verb
Meaning 19
make (to feel) fresh
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- The cool water refreshed us
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: refresh
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: regenerate, renew
Narrower terms: vent, ventilate, air out, air
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *preyskosder. Proto-Germanic *friskaz Proto-West Germanic *frisk Old English fersċ Middle English fressh English fresh English -en English freshen From fresh + -en.
Across languages
Translations
16 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Armenian: թարմանալ (tʻarmanal) — To become fresh
- Bulgarian: ободрявам се (obodrjavam se) — To become fresh
- Bulgarian: освежавам се (osvežavam se) — To become fresh
- Irish: beoigh — To become fresh
- Macedonian: се освежува (se osvežuva) — To become fresh
- Macedonian: се освежи (se osveži) — To become fresh
- Armenian: թարմացնել (tʻarmacʻnel) — To make fresh
- Bulgarian: ободрявам (obodrjavam) — To make fresh
- Bulgarian: освежавам (osvežavam) — To make fresh
- Irish: úraigh — To make fresh
- Irish: beoigh — To make fresh
- Macedonian: освежува (osvežuva) — To make fresh
- Macedonian: освежи (osveži) — To make fresh
- Romanian: împrospăta — To make fresh
- Yiddish: פֿרישן (frishn) — To make fresh
- Bulgarian: обезсолявам (obezsoljavam) — To make less salty