freshen

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   To become fresh.

   • Ah, how my spirit freshens, as I taste That life-restoring breeze!
   • He descended and came to a small basin of sea enclosed by the cliffs. Troy’s nature freshened within him; he thought he would rest and bathe here before going farther.
2. 2

   To become stronger.

   • [...] the wind freshen’d, and carryed our Maintop-mast by the board; in which disaster, the man that was lower-most, and least in danger, fell over-board, and was drowned;
   • [...] he call’d his chief Mate as he was going off from the Watch, and ask’d him how all things far’d; who answer’d, that all was well, and the Gale freshen’d, and they run at a great Rate;
   • All day the breeze held in the same point, and rather freshened than died down; and towards afternoon, a swell began to set in from round the outer Hebrides.
3. 3

   To begin or resume giving milk, especially after calving

   To begin or resume giving milk, especially after calving; to cause to resume giving milk.

   • For Sale—Three registered holstein cows. Due to freshen the first of Jan. February and March. Prices that will sell. Age three and five years. Eugune Gibson, Smyrna.
   • The cow freshened the week before Christmas. The calf was a heifer and there was rejoicing on Baxter’s Island.
   • It was a miserably small two-week net for eight good Holsteins, but they were near the end of their lactation period; soon he’d have to arrange for freshening them again.
4. ›+ 6 more definitionsshow fewer

   1. 4

      To make fresh.

      • I’ve been pegging away at mathematics till my head is in a muddle, and I’m going to freshen my wits by a brisk turn.
      • They went into the little room again at about a quarter to nine, freshened by a meal in the canteen and a cigarette.
   2. 5

      To give redness to (the face or cheeks of a person with light skin).

      • It was a breezy sunny day; the air freshened the girl's cheeks, and gracefully dishevelled their ringlets: […]
      • The wind had freshened his warm complexion as it freshens the glow of a brand.
      • ‘Might copper beech trees mark the route?’ suggested Adelaide, her dumpling countenance freshened by the excitement this thought induced.
   3. 6

      To make less salty

      To make less salty; to separate, as water, from saline ingredients.

      • to freshen water, fish, or flesh
      • [...] ordinarily a wizard looks after such small conveniences by way of spells, the very least and commonest kind of spells, and indeed it takes little more magic to freshen seawater and so save the bother of carrying fresh water.
   4. 7

      To relieve, as a rope, by change of place where friction wears it

      To relieve, as a rope, by change of place where friction wears it; or to renew, as the material used to prevent chafing.

      • to freshen a hawse
   5. 8

      To top up (a drink).

      • She dried her eyes and blew her nose and picked up her drink. ¶ Cass stared at her helplessly. “Let me freshen it for you,” she said, and took the glass into the kitchen.
      • “Get in here and freshen my glass. You’ve got lousy manners for the son of a front-family, and just a^([sic]) hour since we’re engaged...”
   6. 9

      To top up (primer) in a firearm.

      • Freshen the priming of your pistols—the mist of the falls is apt to dampen the brimstone—and stand firm for a close struggle, while I fire on their rush.
      • She pushed her tomahawk and fighting knife into the back of her belt, opened her powder horn and freshened the priming in her rifle and pistols [...]

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