*arpen*

n. [ See Arpent. ] The Anglicized form of the French arpenteur, a land surveyor. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. carpentier, F. charpentier, LL. carpentarius, fr. L. carpentum wagon, carriage. ] An artificer who works in timber; a framer and builder of houses, ships, etc.

Syn. -- Carpenter, Joiner. The carpenter frames and puts together roofs, partitions, floors, and other structural parts of a building. The joiner supplies stairs, doors shutters, mantelpieces, cupboards, and other parts necessary to finishing the building. In America the two trades are commonly united. [ 1913 Webster ]

Carpenter ant (Zool.), any species of ant which gnaws galleries in the wood of trees and constructs its nests therein. They usually select dead or somewhat decayed wood. The common large American species is Formica Pennsylvanica. --
Carpenter bee (Zool.), a large hymenopterous insect of the genus Xylocopa; -- so called because it constructs its nest by gnawing long galleries in sound timber. The common American species is Xylocopa Virginica. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a California evergreen shrub (Carpenteria californica) having glossy opposite leaves and terminal clusters of a few fragrant white flowers. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. The occupation or work of a carpenter; the act of working in timber; carpentry. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. charpenterie, OF. also carpenterie. See Carpenter. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The art of cutting, framing, and joining timber, as in the construction of buildings. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An assemblage of pieces of timber connected by being framed together, as the pieces of a roof, floor, etc.; work done by a carpenter. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Sarpened p. pr. & vb. n. Sharpening. ] [ See Sharp, a. ] To make sharp. Specifically: (a) To give a keen edge or fine point to; to make sharper; as, to sharpen an ax, or the teeth of a saw. (b) To render more quick or acute in perception; to make more ready or ingenious. [ 1913 Webster ]

The air . . . sharpened his visual ray
To objects distant far. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

He that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves and sharpens our skill. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

(c) To make more eager; as, to sharpen men's desires. [ 1913 Webster ]

Epicurean cooks
Sharpen with cloyless sauce his appetite. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

(d) To make more pungent and intense; as, to sharpen a pain or disease. (e) To make biting, sarcastic, or severe. “Sharpen each word.” E. Smith. (f) To render more shrill or piercing. [ 1913 Webster ]

Inclosures not only preserve sound, but increase and sharpen it. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

(g) To make more tart or acid; to make sour; as, the rays of the sun sharpen vinegar. (h) (Mus.) To raise, as a sound, by means of a sharp; to apply a sharp to. [ 1913 Webster ]