Thicken is a term used to describe the process of making something thicker or more solid. To thicken, one can INCREASE, CURDLE, REINFORCE, DEEPEN, WIDEN, FATTEN, EXPAND, JELLY, OSSIFY, inspissate, CAKE, FREEZE, GROW, COMBINE, SOLIDIFY, HARDEN, JELL, SET, CONGEAL, CONDENSE, COAGULATE, CLOT, and GEL. Each of these processes involves changing the consistency of a substance to make it thicker or more solid. For example, increasing involves adding more of a substance, while freezing involves cooling a substance to make it more solid. Curdling involves separating the solid parts of a liquid, while reinforcing involves strengthening a material. Deepening and widening involve making something thicker or wider, while fattening involves adding fat or oil to a substance. Expanding involves increasing the size of something, while JELLY involves cooling a liquid to make it into a GEL. Ossifying involves turning something into bone, while inspissating involves thickening a liquid by evaporating some of its water. Caking involves forming a substance into a CAKE-like shape, while growing involves increasing the size of something. Combining involves mixing two or more substances together, while solidifying involves changing a substance from a liquid to a solid. Hardening involves making something harder, while jelling involves cooling a liquid to make it into a GEL. Setting involves allowing a substance to become solid, while congealing involves cooling a liquid to make it into a GEL. Condensing involves reducing the volume of a gas, while coagulating involves forming a solid mass from a liquid. Clotting involves forming a solid mass from a liquid, while gelling involves cooling a liquid to make it into a GEL.