expand

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. v. To increase the size, volume, quantity, or scope of; enlarge: expanded her store by adding a second room. See Synonyms at increase.
2. v. To express at length or in detail; enlarge on: expanded his remarks afterward.
3. v. To open (something) up or out; spread out: The bird expanded its wings and flew off.
4. v. Mathematics To write (a quantity) as a sum of terms in an extended form.
5. v. To become greater in size, volume, quantity, or scope: Air expands when heated. This critic's influence is expanding.
6. v. To speak or write at length or in detail: expand on a favorite topic.
7. v. To open up or out; unfold: The chair expands to form a day bed.
8. v. To feel expansive.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. To spread or stretch out; unfold; display.
2. To increase in extent, size, bulk, or amount; inflate; distend; extend: as, to expand the chest by inspiration; heat expands all bodies.
3. Hence To make broader in scope or more comprehensive: as, to expand the heart or affections, or the sphere of benevolence.
4. To swell, blow up, fill, fill out, increase.
5. To open out; become unfolded, spread out, or displayed.
6. To increase in extent, size, bulk, amount, etc.; become dilated, distended, or enlarged.
7. In zoology, to spread over a certain space: used in stating the distance from tip to tip of outspread wings—in the case of insects, of anterior wings.

Wiktionary

1. v. transitive To change (something) from a smaller form and/or size to a larger one.
2. v. transitive To increase the extent, number, volume or scope of (something).
3. v. transitive To express (something) at length and/or in detail.
4. v. transitive (algebra) To rewrite (an expression) as a longer, yet equivalent sum of terms.
5. v. intransitive To (be) change(d) from a smaller form/size to a larger one.
6. v. intransitive To (be) increase(d) in extent, number, volume or scope.
7. v. intransitive To speak or write at length or in detail.
8. v. intransitive To feel generous or optimistic.
9. v. intransitive, algebra To be rewritten as a longer, yet equivalent sum of terms.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. v. To lay open by extending; to open wide; to spread out; to diffuse.
2. v. To cause the particles or parts of to spread themselves or stand apart, thus increasing bulk without addition of substance; to make to occupy more space; to dilate; to distend; to extend every way; to enlarge; -- opposed to contract
3. v. (Math.) To state in enlarged form; to develop. See Expansion, 5.
4. v. To become widely opened, spread apart, dilated, distended, or enlarged

WordNet 3.0

1. v. make bigger or wider in size, volume, or quantity
2. v. exaggerate or make bigger
3. v. expand the influence of
4. v. grow vigorously
5. v. become larger in size or volume or quantity
6. v. extend in one or more directions
7. v. add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing