HEIGHTEN
intensify, compound, heighten, deepen
(verb) make more intense, stronger, or more marked; “The efforts were intensified”; “Her rudeness intensified his dislike for her”; “Pot smokers claim it heightens their awareness”; “This event only deepened my convictions”
enhance, heighten, raise
(verb) increase; “This will enhance your enjoyment”; “heighten the tension”
sharpen, heighten
(verb) make (one’s senses) more acute; “This drug will sharpen your vision”
heighten
(verb) make more extreme; raise in quantity, degree, or intensity; “heightened interest”
heighten, rise
(verb) become more extreme; “The tension heightened”
heighten
(verb) increase the height of; “The athletes kept jumping over the steadily heightened bars”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Verb
heighten (third-person singular simple present heightens, present participle heightening, simple past and past participle heightened)
To make high; to raise higher; to elevate.
To advance, increase, augment, make larger, more intense, stronger etc.
Source: Wiktionary
Height"en (hit"'n), v. t. [Written also highten.] [imp. & p. p.
Heightened; p. pr. & vb. n. Heightening.]
1. To make high; to raise higher; to elevate.
2. To carry forward; to advance; to increase; to augment; to
aggravate; to intensify; to render more conspicuous; -- used of
things, good or bad; as, to heighten beauty; to heighten a flavor or
a tint. "To heighten our confusion." Addison.
An aspect of mystery which was easily heightened to the miraculous.
Hawthorne.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition