Meaning of heighten

height•en

Pronunciation: (hīt'n), [key]

— v.t.

to increase the height of; make higher.
to increase the degree or amount of; augment: Cézanne's death heightened the value of his paintings.
to strengthen, deepen, or intensify: to heighten the plot of a story; to heighten one's awareness or appreciation; to heighten one's suffering.
to bring out the important features of, as in a drawing:Chinese white. to heighten a picture with

—v.i.

to become higher.
to increase: The tension heightened as the enemy forces advanced.
to brighten or become more intense.

Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.

See also:

heighten (Thesaurus)

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