Nearby Words
Synonyms
verb (used with object)
1.
to make greater, as in number, size, strength, or quality; augment; add to: to increase taxes.
verb (used without object)
2.
to become greater, as in number, size, strength, or quality: Sales of automobiles increased last year.
3.
to multiply by propagation.
4.
to wax, as the moon.
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Increase
is one of our favorite verbs.
So is bowdlerise. Does it mean:
| chat, to converse |
| to expurgate (a written work) by removing or modifying passages considered vulgar or objectionable. |
noun
5.
growth or augmentation in numbers, size, strength, quality, etc.: the increase of crime.
6.
the act or process of increasing.
7.
that by which something is increased.
8.
the result of increasing.
9.
EXPANDproduce of the earth.
10.
product; profit; interest.
11.
COLLAPSEObsolete.
a.
multiplication by propagation; production of offspring.
b.
offspring; progeny.
Origin:
1275–1325; Middle English incresen, encresen < Anglo-French encres-, Middle French encreiss-, stem of encreistre < Latin incrēscere, equivalent to in- in-2 + crēscere to grow; see crescent
1275–1325; Middle English incresen, encresen < Anglo-French encres-, Middle French encreiss-, stem of encreistre < Latin incrēscere, equivalent to in- in-2 + crēscere to grow; see crescent
Related forms
in·creas·a·ble, adjective
non·in·creas·a·ble, adjective
non·in·crease, noun
pre·in·crease, noun
EXPANDpre·in·crease, verb (used with object), -creased, -creas·ing.
pro·in·crease, adjective
qua·si-in·creased, adjective
re·in·crease, verb, -creased, -creas·ing, noun
su·per·in·crease, verb (used with object), -creased, -creas·ing.
su·per·in·crease, noun
un·in·creas·a·ble, adjective
un·in·creased, adjective
COLLAPSESynonyms
1. expand, extend, prolong. Increase, augment, enlarge may all mean to make larger. To increase means to make greater, as in quantity, extent, degree: to increase someone's salary; to increase the velocity; to increase the (degree of) concentration. Enlarge means to make greater in size, extent, or range: to enlarge a building, a business, one's conceptions. Augment, a more formal word, means to make greater, especially by addition from the outside: to augment one's income (by doing extra work). 3. expand, grow, develop, swell. 6. enlargement, expansion.
1. expand, extend, prolong. Increase, augment, enlarge may all mean to make larger. To increase means to make greater, as in quantity, extent, degree: to increase someone's salary; to increase the velocity; to increase the (degree of) concentration. Enlarge means to make greater in size, extent, or range: to enlarge a building, a business, one's conceptions. Augment, a more formal word, means to make greater, especially by addition from the outside: to augment one's income (by doing extra work). 3. expand, grow, develop, swell. 6. enlargement, expansion.
Antonyms
1, 3. decrease.
1, 3. decrease.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source
|
Link To Increase
Collins
World English Dictionary
| increase | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | to make or become greater in size, degree, frequency, etc; grow or expand |
| —n | |
| 2. | the act of increasing; augmentation |
| 3. | the amount by which something increases |
| 4. | on the increase increasing, esp becoming more frequent |
| [C14: from Old French encreistre, from Latin incrēscere, from | |
| in'creasable | |
| —adj | |
| increasedly | |
| —adv | |
| in'creasingly | |
| —adv | |
| in'creaser | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
increase
early 14c., from Anglo-Fr. encress-, from O.Fr. encreiss-, prp. stem of encreistre, from L. increscere "to increase," from in- "in" + crescere "to grow" (see crescent). Latin spelling restored 15c.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Cite This Source
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