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.
HEIGHTENER
Height"en*er, n. Etym: [Written also hightener.]
Defn: One who, or that which, heightens.
HEINOUS Hei"nous, a. Etym: [OF. haïnos hateful, F. haineux, fr. OF. haïne hate, F. haine, fr. haïr to hate; of German origin. See Hate.]
Defn: Hateful; hatefully bad; flagrant; odious; atrocious; giving
great great offense; — applied to deeds or to character.
It were most heinous and accursed sacrilege. Hooker.
How heinous had the fact been, how deserving Contempt! Milton.
Syn.
— Monstrous; flagrant; flagitious; atrocious.
— Hei"nous*ly, adv.
— Hei"nous*ness, n.
HEIR Heir, n. Etym: [OE. heir, eir, hair, OF. heir, eir, F. hoir, L. heres; of uncertain origin. Cf. Hereditary, Heritage.]
1. One who inherits, or is entitled to succeed to the possession of, any property after the death of its owner; one on whom the law bestows the title or property of another at the death of the latter. I am my father's heir and only son. Shak.
2. One who receives any endowment from an ancestor or relation; as, the heir of one's reputation or virtues. And I his heir in misery alone. Pope. Heir apparent. (Law.) See under Apparent. — Heir at law, one who, after his ancector's death, has a right to inherit all his intestate estate. Wharton (Law Dict.). — Heir presumptive, one who, if the ancestor should die immediately, would be his heir, but whose right to the inheritance may be defeated by the birth of a nearer relative, or by some other contingency.
HEIR
Heir, v. t.