skærper

Skärper is a Swedish verb in the present tense, derived from skärpa, meaning to sharpen or to make something sharper. The term covers both literal sharpening of blades and a range of figurative uses where sharpness refers to mental acuity, perception, or readiness.

In everyday language, skärper can be used with concrete objects: han skärper kniven; hon skärper yxan. It is also used metaphorically about sharpening senses, attention, or arguments: hon skärper sin uppmärksamhet inför provet; han skärper sina argument. The verb forms include jag skärper, du skärper, han/hon skärper; the past tense is skärpte, and the past participle is skärpt, which also functions as an adjective meaning "sharpened" or "keen."

Skärpa sig is a reflexive phrase meaning to pull oneself together or to behave more properly and decisively: han skärper sig inför mötet.

Etymology: skärper stems from the adjective skarp meaning sharp; cognates exist in other Nordic languages and reflect a common Germanic heritage. In Swedish usage, skärpa as a verb has broad applicability, from tool maintenance to mental discipline and reformulation of arguments.