Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- intransitive verb To become greater or larger.
- intransitive verb To multiply; reproduce.
- intransitive verb To make greater or larger.
- noun The act of increasing.
- noun The amount or rate by which something is increased.
- noun Obsolete Reproduction and spread; propagation.
- idiom (on the increase) Increasing, especially in frequency of occurrence.
from The Century Dictionary.
- To become greater in any respect; become enlarged, extended, or multiplied; grow or advance in size, quantity, number, degree, etc.; augment; multiply; wax, as the moon.
- To make greater in any respect; enlarge or extend in bulk, quantity, number, degree, etc.; add to; enhance; aggravate: opposed to diminish.
- noun A growing larger, as in size, number, quantity, degree, etc.; augmentation; enlargement; extension; multiplication.
- noun The amount or number added to the original stock, or by which the original stock is augmented; increment; profit; interest; produce; issue; offspring.
- noun In astronomy, the period of increasing light or an increasing luminous phase; the waxing, as of the moon.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun Addition or enlargement in size, extent, quantity, number, intensity, value, substance, etc.; augmentation; growth.
- noun That which is added to the original stock by augmentation or growth; produce; profit; interest.
- noun Progeny; issue; offspring.
- noun obsolete Generation.
- noun (Astron.) The period of increasing light, or luminous phase; the waxing; -- said of the moon.
- noun the twixt of a rifle groove in which the angle of twist increases from the breech to the muzzle.
- intransitive verb To become greater or more in size, quantity, number, degree, value, intensity, power, authority, reputation, wealth; to grow; to augment; to advance; -- opposed to
decrease . - intransitive verb To multiply by the production of young; to be fertile, fruitful, or prolific.
- intransitive verb (Astron.) To become more nearly full; to show more of the surface; to wax.
- intransitive verb (Math.) a function whose value increases when that of the variable increases, and decreases when the latter is diminished; also called a
monotonically increasing function . - transitive verb To augment or make greater in bulk, quantity, extent, value, or amount, etc.; to add to; to extend; to lengthen; to enhance; to aggravate.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb intransitive, of a quantity to become
larger . - verb transitive To make (a quantity) larger.
- noun An amount by which a quantity is increased.
- noun For a quantity, the act or process of becoming larger
- noun knitting The creation of one or more new
stitches ; see Increase (knitting).
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- verb become bigger or greater in amount
- verb make bigger or more
- noun a quantity that is added
- noun the act of increasing something
- noun a change resulting in an increase
- noun a process of becoming larger or longer or more numerous or more important
- noun the amount by which something increases
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Is it true that for 200 years the only increase in the wealth and resources of Virginia, has been a remnant of the natural _increase_ of this miserable race?
The Anti-Slavery Examiner, Omnibus American Anti-Slavery Society
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This is no condition of things to increase births, or diminish deaths, unless brothels give _increase_, and squalid poverty the requisite sympathy and aid, to recover the sick and dying, from the period of infancy to that of old age.
Cotton is King, and Pro-Slavery Arguments Comprising the Writings of Hammond, Harper, Christy, Stringfellow, Hodge, Bledsoe, and Cartrwright on This Important Subject E. N. [Editor] Elliott
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Is it true that for 200 years the only increase in the wealth and resources of Virginia, has been a remnant of the natural _increase_ of this miserable race?
The Anti-Slavery Examiner, Part 3 of 4 American Anti-Slavery Society
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Bronfman also stressed that MTV would help the label increase artist visibility online.
Fast Company 2010
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However, the term increase - once considered a lock - is less certain, as party leaders squabble over the budget.
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However, the term increase - once considered a lock - is less certain, as party leaders squabble over the budget.
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However, the term increase - once considered a lock - is less certain, as party leaders squabble over the budget.
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Some of the increase is also attributable to home improvements and remodeling investments.
The significance of the Fed's report on an increase in homeowners' equity stakes Kenneth R. Harney 2010
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Some of the increase is also attributable to home improvements and remodeling investments.
The significance of the Fed's report on an increase in homeowners' equity stakes Kenneth R. Harney 2010
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Some of the increase is also attributable to home improvements and remodeling investments.
The significance of the Fed's report on an increase in homeowners' equity stakes Kenneth R. Harney 2010
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