v.
Pronunciation: ' sw ē -t ə n
Function: verb
Inflected Form: sweet · ened ; sweet · en · ing \ ' sw ē t-ni ŋ , ' sw ē -t ə n-i ŋ \
Date: circa 1552
transitive verb
1 : to make sweet
2 : to soften the mood or attitude of
3 : to make less painful or trying
4 : to free from a harmful or undesirable quality or substance especially : to remove sulfur compounds from < sweeten natural gas>
5 : to make more valuable or attractive < sweeten the deal>: as a : to increase (a pot not won on the previous deal) by anteing prior to another deal b : to place additional securities as collateral for (a loan)
intransitive verb : to become sweet
– sweet · en · er \ ' sw ē t-n ə r, ' sw ē -t ə n- ə r \ noun