expand

Pronunciation key ( ik-spand′ )

ex•pand

v.t.

[ME. expanden to spread out < L. expandere; ex- out + pandere to spread, extend].

1. To spread out; open up or out; stretch out; unfold. Such as the hawk expanded his wings.
2. To cause to fill more space; increase in size, quantity, volume, bulk, scope, area, etc.; enlarge; dilate; extend.
3. To express, written or oral, in length or in detail; to enlarge upon (a topic, idea, et cetera). Develop in detail.
4. In algebra, write a quantity as a sum of terms and to develop (an equation, etc) to its completed or enlarged form through a series of steps.

v.i.

1. To become expanded; spread out, unfold, enlarge, et cetera.

Syn. —expand implies increase in bulk, size or volume and is the broadest sense, being a valid representation when the enlarging force operates from either the inside or the outside or if the increase is caused by puffing out, unfolding, spreading, or opening; swell implies an expansion above and beyond normal limits; distend refers to swelling resulting from pressure from within that forces an outward bulge to occur; inflate implies the use of air or gas, or of something to cause a thing to swell; dilate implies widening or stretching of something circular.

Ant. contract

—ex•pand´a•ble adj. —ex•pand´er n.

References

Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language (College Edition) ©1955

The American Heritage Dictionary, Second College Edition ©1985

Further Reading

expanded

expandor

expanse

expansibility

expansible

expansile

expansion

expansionary

expansionism

expansionist

expansive

expansiveness