The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word SHARPENED
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
S
H
A
R
P
E
N
E
D
Buddy explains!

The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does SHARPENED mean?
SHARPENED verb- (sometimes figurative) To make sharp.
- To become sharp.
- Having a sharp point or edge.