different between increase vs magnify

English

Alternative forms

• encrease (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English increse, borrowed from Anglo-Norman encreistre, from Latin increscere (“increase”), present active infinitive of incresc?, from in (“in, on”) + cresc? (“grow”).

The verb is from Middle English incresen, encresen.

Pronunciation

• (verb): enPR: ?nkr?s?, IPA^(key): /?n?k?i?s/
• (noun): enPR: ?n?kr?s, IPA^(key): /??nk?i?s/
• Rhymes: -i?s
• Hyphenation: in?crease

Verb

increase (third-person singular simple present increases, present participle increasing, simple past and past participle increased)

1. (intransitive) (of a quantity, etc.) To become larger or greater.

   • The waters increased and bare up the ark.

2. (transitive) To make (a quantity, etc.) larger.
3. To multiply by the production of young; to be fertile, fruitful, or prolific.
   • 1677, Matthew Hale, The Primitive Origination of Mankind, Considered and Examined According to the Light of Nature

     Fishes are infinitely more numerous of increasing than Beasts or Birds, as appears by the numerous Spawn.

4. (astronomy, intransitive) To become more nearly full; to show more of the surface; to wax.

Synonyms

• (become larger): wax, go up, grow, rise, soar (rapidly), shoot up (rapidly); See also Thesaurus:increase
• (make larger): increment, raise, up (informal); See also Thesaurus:augment
• (multiply by production of young): proliferate, propagate, teem
• (to show more of the surface): wax

Antonyms

• (become larger): decrease, drop, fall, go down, plummet (rapidly), plunge (rapidly), reduce, shrink, sink; See also Thesaurus:decrease
• (make larger): cut, decrease, decrement, lower, reduce; See also Thesaurus:diminish
• (multiply by production of young):
• (to show more of the surface): wane

Derived terms

• increasable
• Increase

Translations

Noun

increase (countable and uncountable, plural increases)

1. An amount by which a quantity is increased.
   • 2018, VOA Learning English > China's Melting Glacier Brings Visitors, Adds to Climate Concerns

     She says an increase in melting from climate change may put that at risk.

2. For a quantity, the act or process of becoming larger
3. Offspring, progeny
4. (knitting) The creation of one or more new stitches; see Increase (knitting).

Synonyms

• (amount by which a quantity is increased): gain, increment, raise (US, said of pay), rise; See also Thesaurus:adjunct or Thesaurus:acquisition
• (act or process of becoming larger): enlargement, expansion; See also Thesaurus:augmentation

Antonyms

• (amount by which a quantity is increased): cut, decrease, decrement, drop, fall, loss, lowering, reduction, shrinkage; See also Thesaurus:decrement
• (act or process of becoming larger): decline, decrease, diminishment; See also Thesaurus:diminution

Translations

Further reading

• increase in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• increase in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• increase at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• Cairenes, Ceresian, cerasine, resiance

English

Alternative forms

• magnifie (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle French magnifier, from Latin magnific?re, from magnificus.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?ma?n?fa?/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?mæ?n?fa?/

Verb

magnify (third-person singular simple present magnifies, present participle magnifying, simple past and past participle magnified)

1. (transitive) To praise, glorify (someone or something, especially God). [from 14th c.]
   • 1526, William Tyndale, trans. Bible, Acts X:

     For they herde them speake with tonges, and magnify God.

   • 1644, John Milton, Aeropagitica:

     For he who freely magnifies what hath been nobly done, and fears not to declare as freely what might be done better, gives ye the best cov'nant of his fidelity [...].

2. (transitive) To make (something) larger or more important. [from 14th c.]
3. (transitive) To make (someone or something) appear greater or more important than it is; to intensify, exaggerate. [from 17th c.]
4. (transitive) To make (something) appear larger by means of a lens, magnifying glass, telescope etc. [from 17th c.]
5. (intransitive, slang, obsolete) To have effect; to be of importance or significance.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Spectator to this entry?)

Derived terms

• magnifier
• magnifying glass
• magnification

Related terms

• minify (opposite)

Translations