ENLARGE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does enlarge mean? 

• ENLARGE (verb)
  The verb ENLARGE has 4 senses:

1. make larger

2. make large

3. become larger or bigger

4. add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing

  Familiarity information: ENLARGE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ENLARGE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they enlarge    ... he / she / it enlarges   
Past simple: enlarged   
Past participle: enlarged   
-ing form: enlarging   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make larger

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

She enlarged the flower beds

Hypernyms (to "enlarge" is one way to...):

increase (make bigger or more)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "enlarge"):

expand (make bigger or wider in size, volume, or quantity)

ream (enlarge with a reamer)

deepen (make deeper)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

They enlarge their earnings this year

Derivation:

enlargement (the act of increasing (something) in size or volume or quantity or scope)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make large

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

blow up; enlarge; magnify

Context example:

blow up an image

Hypernyms (to "enlarge" is one way to...):

increase (make bigger or more)

Domain category:

photography; picture taking (the act of taking and printing photographs)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

enlargement (a photographic print that has been enlarged)

enlarger (photographic equipment consisting of an optical projector used to enlarge a photograph)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Become larger or bigger

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "enlarge" is one way to...):

grow (become larger, greater, or bigger; expand or gain)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "enlarge"):

amplify; magnify (increase in size, volume or significance)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sentence example:

Their earnings enlarge this year

Sense 4

Meaning:

Add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

dilate; elaborate; enlarge; expand; expatiate; exposit; expound; flesh out; lucubrate

Context example:

She elaborated on the main ideas in her dissertation

Hypernyms (to "enlarge" is one way to...):

clarify; clear up; elucidate (make clear and (more) comprehensible)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "enlarge"):

detail (provide details for)

exposit; expound; set forth (state)

exemplify; illustrate; instance (clarify by giving an example of)

particularise; particularize; specialise; specialize; specify (be specific about)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence example:

They enlarge that there was a traffic accident

Derivation:

enlargement (a discussion that provides additional information)

 Context examples 

Additional morphologic characteristics include enlarged nucleoli, abundant clear to somewhat violet-hued cytoplasm, a high mitotic rate and zones of coagulative necrosis.

(Central Nervous System Embryonal Carcinoma, NCI Thesaurus/Adapted from WHO)

A drug used to treat high blood pressure and urinary problems caused by an enlarged prostate.

(Cardura, NCI Dictionary)

These diseases enlarge your heart muscle or make it thicker and more rigid than normal.

(Cardiomyopathy, NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

The extra neutrophils may cause the spleen and liver to become enlarged.

(Chronic neutrophilic leukemia, NCI Dictionary)

The act of improving by expanding or enlarging or refining.

(Development, NCI Thesaurus)

A device used to stretch or enlarge an opening.

(Dilator, NCI Dictionary)

To widen or enlarge an opening or hollow structure beyond its usual size, such as the pupil of the eye or a blood vessel.

(Dilate, NCI Dictionary)

A drug used to treat symptoms of an enlarged prostate gland.

(Avodart, NCI Dictionary)

An aggressive (fast-growing) type of T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma marked by enlarged lymph nodes and hypergammaglobulinemia (increased antibodies in the blood).

(angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, NCI Dictionary)

Although the hearts of these mice function normally, they are slightly enlarged compared to the hearts with no MR.

(Healthy hearts need two proteins working together, National Institutes of Health)