hardening

Verb

harden (third-person singular simple present hardens, present participle hardening, simple past and past participle hardened)

1. (intransitive) To become hard.
   • The Chief Medical Officer of London Transport believes that public opinion against smoking will harden to the point of a total bar on the Underground, as in other countries.1959 May, “Accommodation for Non-Smokers”, in Railway Magazine, pages 295-296
2. (ergative, transitive) To make something hard or harder.
3. (figuratively, transitive) To strengthen.
   • In view of the system's relatively low cost, the preferred alternative could be for the military user to avail himself of multiple base stations rather than seeking to harden the base station hardware for defense applications.2002, Jane's International Defense Review, volume 35
4. (transitive) To modify (a website or other system) to make it resistant to malicious attacks.
5. (ambitransitive) To become or make (a person or thing) resistant or less sensitive.
   • (obs.)

   Synonyms:

   inure, roborate

6. (informal, intransitive) To get an erection.
   • He hardened as he imagined himself running his hands over her small breasts1999 August 2, Karen Mitchell, “Files from the Feminet BBS NOVAD5.TXT 38.38 KB”, in alt.sex.stories.tg (Usenet)

See all 12 meanings of harden