Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To make larger or more powerful; increase.
  • intransitive verb To add to, as by illustrations; make complete.
  • intransitive verb To exaggerate.
  • intransitive verb To produce amplification of.
  • intransitive verb To write or discourse at length; expatiate.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To make large or larger in volume, extent, capacity, amount, importance, etc.; enlarge or make more ample.
  • To expand in stating or describing; treat copiously, so as to present in every point of view and in the strongest lights.
  • Synonyms To expand, develop, extend, dilate, magnify.
  • . To grow or become ample or more ample.
  • To discourse more at length; speak largely or copiously; be diffuse in argument or description; expatiate; dilate: commonly with on or upon before an object: as, to amplify on the several topics of discourse.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To render larger, more extended, or more intense, and the like; -- used especially of telescopes, microscopes, etc.
  • transitive verb (Rhet.) To enlarge by addition or discussion; to treat copiously by adding particulars, illustrations, etc.; to expand; to make much of.
  • intransitive verb obsolete To become larger.
  • intransitive verb To speak largely or copiously; to be diffuse in argument or description; to dilate; to expatiate; -- often with on or upon.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb transitive To render larger, more extended, or more intense, and the like;—used especially of loudspeakers, telescopes, microscopes, etc.
  • verb transitive, rhetorical To enlarge by addition or discussion; to treat copiously by adding particulars, illustrations, etc.; to expand; to make much of.
  • verb transitive To increase the amplitude of something, especially of an electric current.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb increase in size, volume or significance
  • verb to enlarge beyond bounds or the truth
  • verb exaggerate or make bigger
  • verb increase the volume of

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English amplifien, from Old French amplifier, from Latin amplificāre : amplus, large + -ficāre, -fy.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English amplifyen, from Old French amplifier, from Latin amplificare ("to enlarge"), from amplus ("large") + facere ("to make"). See ample.

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