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Webster 1913 Edition


Magnify

Mag′ni-fy

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Magnified
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Magnifying
.]
[OE.
magnifien
, F.
magnifier
, L.
magnificare
. See
Magnific
.]
1.
To make great, or greater; to increase the dimensions of; to amplify; to enlarge, either in fact or in appearance;
as, the microscope
magnifies
the object by a thousand diameters
.
The least error in a small quantity . . . will in a great one . . . be proportionately
magnified
.
Grew.
2.
To increase the importance of; to augment the esteem or respect in which one is held.
On that day the Lord
magnified
Joshua in the sight of all Israel.
Joshua iv. 14.
3.
To praise highly; to laud; to extol.
[Archaic]
O,
magnify
the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.
Ps. xxxiv. 3.
4.
To exaggerate;
as, to
magnify
a loss or a difficulty
.
To magnify one’s self
(Script.)
,
to exhibit pride and haughtiness; to boast.
To magnify one's self against
(Script.)
,
to oppose with pride.

Mag′ni-fy

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To have the power of causing objects to appear larger than they really are; to increase the apparent dimensions of objects;
as, some lenses
magnify
but little
.
2.
To have effect; to be of importance or significance.
[Cant & Obs.]
Spectator.

Webster 1828 Edition


Magnify

MAGNIFY

,
Verb.
T.
[L. magnifico; magnus, great, and facio, to make.]
1.
To make great or greater; to increase the apparent dimensions of a body. A convex lens magnifies the bulk of a body to the eye.
2.
To make great in representation; to extol; to exalt in description or praise. The embassador magnified the king and queen.
3.
To extol; to exalt; to elevate; to raise in estimation.
Thee that day
Thy thunders magnified.
The Lord magnified Solomon exceedingly. 1 Chron. 29.
To magnify one's self, to raise in pride and pretensions.
He shall magnify in his heart. Dan.8.

Definition 2024


magnify

magnify

English

Verb

magnify (third-person singular simple present magnifies, present participle magnifying, simple past and past participle magnified)

  1. (transitive) To praise, glorify (someone or something, especially god). [from 14th c.]
    • 1526, William Tyndale, trans. Bible, Acts X:
      For they herde them speake with tonges, and magnify God.
    • 1644, John Milton, Aeropagitica:
      For he who freely magnifies what hath been nobly done, and fears not to declare as freely what might be done better, gives ye the best cov'nant of his fidelity [...].
  2. (transitive) To make (something) larger or more important. [from 14th c.]
    • Grew
      The least error in a small quantity [] will in a great one [] be proportionately magnified.
    • 2006, Edwin Black, chapter 2, in Internal Combustion:
      But through the oligopoly, charcoal fuel proliferated throughout London's trades and industries. By the 1200s, brewers and bakers, tilemakers, glassblowers, pottery producers, and a range of other craftsmen all became hour-to-hour consumers of charcoal. This only magnified the indispensable nature of the oligopolists.
  3. (transitive) To make (someone or something) appear greater or more important than it is; to intensify, exaggerate. [from 17th c.]
  4. (transitive) To make (something) appear larger by means of a lens, magnifying glass, telescope etc. [from 17th c.]
    • 2013 July-August, Catherine Clabby, Focus on Everything”, in American Scientist:
      Not long ago, it was difficult to produce photographs of tiny creatures with every part in focus. That’s because the lenses that are excellent at magnifying tiny subjects produce a narrow depth of field. A photo processing technique called focus stacking has changed that.
  5. (intransitive, slang, obsolete) To have effect; to be of importance or significance.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Spectator to this entry?)

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