enlargeen‧large /ɪnˈlɑːdʒ $ -ɑːrdʒ/ ●○○ verb [intransitive, transitive] 
an operation to enlarge her breasts Police will have the pictures enlarged in an attempt to identify the thief.enlarge somebody’s understanding/knowledge etc A good way to enlarge your vocabulary is to read a daily newspaper.enlarge on/upon something phrasal verb formal to provide more information about something you have already mentioned: Mrs Maughan did not enlarge on what she meant.
VERB TABLE
enlarge
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | enlarge |
| he, she, it | enlarges | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | enlarged |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have enlarged |
| he, she, it | has enlarged | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had enlarged |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will enlarge |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have enlarged |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am enlarging |
| he, she, it | is enlarging | |
| you, we, they | are enlarging | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was enlarging |
| you, we, they | were enlarging | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been enlarging |
| he, she, it | has been enlarging | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been enlarging |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be enlarging |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been enlarging |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- I'm going to get these two pictures enlarged.
- The left chamber of the heart often enlarges before there are other signs of heart failure.
- A horse's natural desire for affection can be extended and enlarged.
- I can feel the bone hard and resistant and enlarged.
- Instead, the glucose remains stored in the person's liver, which becomes enlarged.
- Its mystery somehow diminished life, or did it enlarge it by making life and its purpose more mysterious still.
- Terracing opposite the stand was enlarged to hold 24,000 spectators.
- The liberal politicians sigh with relief and continue their efforts to enlarge the welfare state.
- The pattern of the photo-reproductive screen is enlarged to become a characteristic painting stroke.
Longman Language Activatorto make something bigger
to make something bigger - use this especially about increasing numbers or amounts, or about increasing the size of a company or organization: · She intends to expand the company's operations in the US.· The university is planning to expand the number of students to over 20,000.
to make a company or economy bigger and increase the amount of business that it does - used especially in business English: · All this is necessary if we are to grow the business.
to pull cloth, plastic, leather, etc so that it gets bigger and changes its shape: · Stretch the canvas so that it covers the whole frame.
to make something bigger, for example a photograph or an image on a computer. Enlarge is more formal than blow up .: · That's a nice photo, why don't you get it enlarged?· If the opening is too small, you can always enlarge it later.· The new photocopier will enlarge documents by up to 100%.blow something up: · You should blow that picture up and frame it.blow up something: · This section of the print has been blown up so that the enemy's tanks can be clearly seen.
to make an image or detail bigger, especially by using a microscope: · This microscope can magnify an object up to forty times.· The image is magnified by a series of lenses within the telescope.
British to make a building bigger by adding more rooms or more space: · The hotel has been recently renovated and extended.· We're thinking of extending the kitchen.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY A good way to enlarge your vocabulary is to read a daily newspaper.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
A good way to enlarge your vocabulary is to read a daily newspaper.· Later the press bureau of the foreign ministry, so small before the war, was greatly enlarged and became the Nachrichtenabteilung.· The Pentagon subsequently revamped and greatly enlarged its team looking into the issue.· Potentially at least, the concept of man was here greatly enlarged.· If this is a reasonable goal, we can thus greatly enlarge our vision.· That was not in itself a new idea, but its content and significance were greatly enlarged by him.· The size of the known world had, suddenly, been greatly enlarged.· Their response has been to greatly enlarge the present building but they still feel they must plan to plant churches.
NOUN· And crucially, the whole idea of the twist is diluted in intensity but enlarged in scope.
· Each album benefited from and enlarged on an understanding of the others.· Television is an indispensable medium for enlarging public understanding of an essential institution.· Ask the Lord to guide their steps daily and to enlarge their understanding of his love.
WORD FAMILYnounenlargementenlargeradjectivelargelargishverbenlargeadverblargely
if you enlarge something, or if it enlarges, it increases in size or scale: an operation to enlarge her breasts Police will have the pictures enlarged in an attempt to identify the thief.enlarge somebody’s understanding/knowledge etc A good way to enlarge your vocabulary is to read a daily newspaper.enlarge on/upon something phrasal verb formal to provide more information about something you have already mentioned: Mrs Maughan did not enlarge on what she meant.