harden

hard·en /ˈhɑːdn $ ˈhɑːrdn/ verb [intransitiveI, transitiveT]

1 HARDto become firm or stiff, or to make something firm or stiff (使)变硬；(使)坚固；(使)硬化 OPP soften

It will take about 24 hours for the glue to harden.

胶水干透大约需要24小时。

2 STRICTif your attitude hardens, or if something hardens it, you become more strict and determined and less sympathetic (使)变得更坚定；(使)变得强硬 OPP soften

Attitudes towards the terrorists have hardened even more since the attack.

自从那次袭击后，对待恐怖分子的态度更加强硬了。

3 written if your face or voice hardens, or if something hardens it, you look or sound less sympathetic or happy (使)〔脸色、嗓音〕变得冷峻 OPP soften

His face hardened momentarily, then he looked away.

他的脸色一时阴沉下来，随即把头转向一边。

4. harden your heart EMOTIONALto make yourself not feel pity or sympathy for someone 硬起心肠

Examples from the Corpus

harden your heart• But difficulties did not harden his heart.• Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.• And then Nancy will harden her heart against him.• She hardened her heart and thought she should swiftly make it clear she had not come in search of him.• He hardened his heart and turned on his computer, smiling acidly at the screen.• He tried to harden his heart in advance, but knew it was just a front.• The girl had hardened her heart so much; there was no point in giving her further cause.• When he had left her with a tiny baby, she had hardened her heart somehow.

Examples from the Corpus

harden• Kiki thought about these things as she was lying naked in her bed wishing the fudge would harden.• Pores enlarge and the skin slowly becomes coarser, as its natural collagen hardens.• The glue needs about 24 hours to harden.• Isobel glanced at her husband, and saw his face had hardened, and that his eyes were angry.• The clay needs to harden before it can be painted.• The ground was hardened by a sharp frost making the going firm on a fine, sunny day.• Steel is hardened by heating it to a very high temperature.• When Glover folded back the blanket her expression hardened, her face became the fixed eyes and mouth of a hawk.• The girl had hardened her heart so much; there was no point in giving her further cause.• I try to harden myself, push the guilt away.• Opposition to the peace talks has hardened since the attack.• Harden the chocolates by putting them in the fridge.• Much of the mountain consists of volcanic ash, long since hardened to jagged rock.• The death of a parent can harden young people, making them bitter.

From Longman Business Dictionary

hardenhard·en /ˈhɑːdnˈhɑːrdn/ verb [intransitiveI] British EnglishBrE

FINANCE if prices on a financial market harden, they go up

Tesco hardened 4 pence to 225.5 pence.

hard·en verb

Chinese

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