different between strengthen vs enlarge

English

Etymology

From rare Middle English strengthenen (14th c.), from earlier strengthen (12th c.), where -en is the infinitive ending. Probably the original form was reinterpreted as strength +? -en around the time when the infinitive ending was being apocopated in late Middle English.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?st???(k)??n/, /?st??n??n/

Verb

strengthen (third-person singular simple present strengthens, present participle strengthening, simple past and past participle strengthened)

1. (transitive) To make strong or stronger; to add strength to; to increase the strength of; to fortify.
   • c. 1600, William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 2

     Let noble Warwick, Cobham, and the rest, […]
     With powerful policy strengthen themselves.

   • 1851, Anonymous, Arthur Hamilton, and His Dog

     A little hardship, and a little struggling with the rougher elements of life, will perchance but strengthen and increase his courage, and prepare him for the conflicts and struggles of after years.

2. (transitive) To empower; to give moral strength to; to encourage; to enhearten.
   • 1769, The King James Bible, Deuteronomy iii. 28

     Charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him.

   • "A fine man, that Dunwody, yonder," commented the young captain, as they parted, and as he turned to his prisoner. "We'll see him on in Washington some day. He is strengthening his forces now against Mr. Benton out there. […]."

3. (transitive) To augment; to improve; to intensify.
4. (transitive) To reinforce, to add to, to support (someone or something)

5. (transitive) To substantiate; to corroborate (a belief, argument, etc.)

6. (intransitive) To grow strong or stronger.

Synonyms

• (to make strong or stronger): See also Thesaurus:strengthen
• (to augment): See also Thesaurus:augment

Antonyms

• weaken
• atrophy

Derived terms

• strengthener

Translations

References

• strengthen in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Middle English

Alternative forms

• strenkþen, strengþen, strengþe, strengþi, strengthe, strenght, strenthe, streynght, streynthyn, streyngthe
• (early) strengðden, strengþin, strencþen

Etymology

From strengthe +? -en.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?str?nk??n/, /?str?n?ð?n/
• (dialectal) IPA^(key): /?str?n??n/, /?str?i?n??n/

Verb

strengthen

1. to strengthen, fortify (increase the strength of)
   • 1395, John Wycliffe, Bible, Job IV:

     Lo! thou hast tau?t ful many men, and thou hast strengthid hondis maad feynt.

2. to empower, to augment (increase the potency or severity of)
3. to enhearten, to encourage (increase the morale of)
4. to assist, to support (someone or something)
5. to substantiate; to corroborate (a belief, argument, etc.)
6. to approve or validate (a document).
7. to endeavour; to rouse oneself.

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

Conjugation

Descendants

• English: strength

References

• “strengthen, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

English

Etymology

From Middle English enlargen, from Old French enlargier, enlargir.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?n?l??d??/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?n?l??d??/
• Rhymes: -??(?)d?

Verb

enlarge (third-person singular simple present enlarges, present participle enlarging, simple past and past participle enlarged)

(Can we add an example for this sense?)

1. (transitive) To make (something) larger.
2. (intransitive) To grow larger.
3. (transitive) To increase the capacity of; to expand; to give free scope or greater scope to; also, to dilate, as with joy, affection, etc.

   • O ye Corinthians, our […] heart is enlarged.

4. (intransitive) To speak or write at length upon or on (some subject); expand; elaborate
   • 1664, Samuel Butler, Hudibras 2.2.68:

     I shall enlarge upon the Point.

5. (archaic) To release; to set at large.
   • 1580, Philip Sidney, Arcadia 329:

     Like a Lionesse lately enlarged.

   • 1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, IV.8:

     Finding no meanes how I might us enlarge, / But if that Dwarfe I could with me convay, / I lightly snatcht him up and with me bore away.

   • a. 1677, Isaac Barrow, Of Contentment (sermon)

     It will enlarge us from all restraints.

   • 1599, William Shakespeare, Henry V, Act II Scene II:

     Uncle of Exeter, enlarge the man committed yesterday, that rail'd against our person. We consider it was excess of wine that set him on.

6. (nautical) To get more astern or parallel with the vessel's course; to draw aft; said of the wind.
7. (law) To extend the time allowed for compliance with (an order or rule).

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

Synonyms

• (make larger, expand): embiggen, enlargen, largen, greaten
• (speak or write at length): dilate, expatiate

Related terms

• magnify
• supersize

Translations

References

• John A. Simpson and Edward S. C. Weiner, editors (1989) , “enlarge”, in The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Clarendon Press, ?ISBN

Anagrams

• General, general, gleaner, reangle