EXPAND • FREE TRANSLATOR.ORG • Definition of Expand

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/ɪkspˈænd/ Listen

verb

Expand v. t. (past & past part. expanded; pres. part. expanding)

To lay open by extending; to open wide; to spread out; to diffuse; as, a flower expands its leaves. "Then with expanded wings he steers his flight."

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; as, to expand the chest; heat expands all bodies; to expand the sphere of benevolence.

(Math.) To state in enlarged form; to develop; as, to expand an equation. See Expansion, 5.

Expand v. i. To become widely opened, spread apart, dilated, distended, or enlarged; as, flowers expand in the spring; metals expand by heat; the heart expands with joy.

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Etymology of 'Expand'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Expand" Quotes from Famous Books

... time became unbearable, for while the portent— whether physical or moral we were too far under its influence to distinguish—grew momentarily, our own souls did not expand in due correspondence. We talked of towing, of kedging out, of going to any extreme, even to small boats. Then just as we were about to move toward some accomplishment, a new phenomenon chained ...

— The Mystery • Stewart Edward White and Samuel Hopkins Adams

... than twine and does not wear. Even though it is not removed, it does no harm, as the part around which it is wound does not grow. The lower ties should be of softer material, as wire has a tendency to cut into the wood. They should be placed so that the cane is able to expand as it grows. With thin and especially with round stakes this means that the tie must be loose. With large, square stakes there is usually sufficient room for expansion, even when the ...

— Manual of American Grape-Growing • U. P. Hedrick

... commerce, mean to a European nation of to-day just what our vast, half-improved, heavily tariffed territory means to us. They mean to those nations room to expand, land wherewith to portion off the sons and daughters that cannot find living space at home, widespread political and international influence, through blood affiliation with prosperous colonies, the power of ...

— Lessons of the war with Spain and other articles • Alfred T. Mahan

... dreadful sensation seized me. I was slipping through the bottom of my pocket! Though I had a watered ribbon attached to me my master always carried me loose in his waistcoat pocket, with never a suspicion of the hole that was there. But now that hole seemed suddenly to expand in order to let ...

— The Adventures of a Three-Guinea Watch • Talbot Baines Reed

... age down to the Class M state. We know that the compression of any body against resistance generates or releases heat. Now a gaseous star at any instant is in a state of equilibrium. Its internal heat and the centrifugal force due to its rotation about an axis are trying to expand it. Its own gravitational power is trying to draw all of its materials to the center. Until there is a loss of heat no contraction can occur; but just as soon as there is such a loss gravity proceeds to diminish the stellar volume. Contraction will proceed more slowly than we should at ...

— Popular Science Monthly Volume 86

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