hardening

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

noun abnormal hardening or thickening of tissue
noun the process of becoming hard or solid by cooling or drying or crystallization
noun the act of making something harder (firmer or tighter or more compact)

There was a certain hardening of his nature now. — The Texan Scouts: A Story of the Alamo and Goliad, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander) Altsheler
Another pause, followed by a noticeable hardening of tone. — The Samurai Strategy, Thomas Hoover
Such characters do exist, notwithstanding the hardening influences around them. — Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Herself, Harriet A. (Harriet Ann) Jacobs

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