heighten

From Middle English heightenen, hyghtenen, equivalent to height +‎ -en (verbal suffix).

• IPA^(key): /ˈhaɪ̯.tən/, [ˈhaɪ̯tn̩], [ˈhaɪ̯ʔn̩]

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪtən
• Homophone: Huyton

heighten (third-person singular simple present heightens, present participle heightening, simple past and past participle heightened)

1. To make high; to raise higher; to elevate.
   • 2021 June 2, “Network News: Cambrian Line bridge is raised”, in RAIL, number 932, page 23:

     Black Bridge, near Machynlleth, is being heightened by one metre in a £3.6 million project to reduce delays caused by flooding.

2. To advance, increase, augment, make larger, more intense, stronger etc.

   to heighten beauty

   to heighten a flavor or a tint

   to heighten awareness

   to heighten tension

   the excitement heightened

   “That’s heightened by the impact of climate change,” she added.

   • 2006 December 6, Ashley Seager, “Employment rise gives chancellor a boost”, in The Guardian‎^[1]:

     If Mr Brown chooses, he could raise his estimate of the economy's "trend" rate of growth in the coming years and so heighten his hopes of tax revenues.

• lessen