increase
see also: Increase
Pronunciation
  • (verb) enPR: ĭnkrēsʹ, IPA: /ɪnˈkɹiːs/
  • (noun) enPR: ĭnʹkrēs, IPA: /ˈɪnkɹiːs/
Verb

increase (increases, present participle increasing; past and past participle increased)

  1. (intransitive) (of a quantity, etc.) To become larger or greater.
    His rage only increased when I told him of the lost money.
    • Bible, Genesis vii. 17
      The waters increased and bare up the ark.
    • c. 1603–1604, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act II, scene i]:
      The heavens forbid / But that our loves and comforts should increase, / Even as our days do grow!
  2. (transitive) To make (a quantity, etc.) larger.
  3. To multiply by the production of young; to be fertile, fruitful, or prolific.
    • Fishes are more numerous of increasing than beasts or birds, as appears by their numerous spawn.
  4. (astronomy, intransitive) To become more nearly full; to show more of the surface; to wax.
    The Moon increases.
Synonyms Antonyms Translations Translations Noun

increase

  1. An amount by which a quantity is increased.
  2. For a quantity, the act or process of becoming larger
  3. Offspring, progeny
    • 1599, [Thomas] Nashe, Nashes Lenten Stuffe, […], London: Printed [by Thomas Judson and Valentine Simmes] for N[icholas] L[ing] and C[uthbert] B[urby] […], OCLC 228714942 ↗; reprinted Menston, West Yorkshire: The Scolar Press, 1971, →ISBN, page 2 ↗:
      That infortunate imperfit Embrion of my idle houres the Ile of Dogs before mentioned, breeding vnto me ſuch bitter throwes in the teaming as it did, and the tempeſtes that aroſe at his birth, ſo aſtoniſhing outragious and violent as if my braine had bene conceiued of another Hercules, I was ſo terrifyed with my owne encreaſe (like a woman long trauailing to bee deliuered of a monſter) that it was no ſooner borne but I was glad to run from it.
  4. (knitting) The creation of one or more new stitches; see Increase (knitting).
Synonyms Antonyms Translations Translations
Increase
Proper noun
  1. (historical, used by Puritans) A male given name.



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