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Enlarge

1. To grow large or larger; to be further extended; to expand; as, a plant enlarges by growth; an estate enlarges by good management; a volume of air enlarges by rarefaction.

2. To speak or write at length; to be diffuse in speaking or writing; to expatiate; to dilate. To enlarge upon this theme. (M. Arnold)

3. To get more astern or parallel with the vessels course; to draw aft; said of the wind.

1. To make larger; to increase in quantity or dimensions; to extend in limits; to magnify; as, the body is enlarged by nutrition; to enlarge one's house. To enlarge their possessions of land. (Locke)

2. To increase the capacity of; to expand; to give free scope or greater scope to; also, to dilate, as with joy, affection, and the like; as, knowledge enlarges the mind. O ye Corinthians, our . . . Heart is enlarged. (2 cor. Vi. 11)

3. To set at large or set free. It will enlarge us from all restraints. (Barrow) Enlarging hammer, a hammer with a slightly rounded face of large diameter; used by gold beaters. To enlarge an order or rule, to extend the time for complying with it. To enlarge one's self, to give free vent to speech; to spread out discourse. They enlarged themselves on this subject. . To enlarge the heart, to make free, liberal, and charitable.

Synonym: to increase, extend, expand, spread, amplify, augment, magnify. See increase.

Origin: OF. Enlargier; pref. En- (L. In) _ f. Large wide. See large.