Magnify

• POS: Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: mag=ni=fy

CIDE DICTIONARY

Magnify, v. t. [OE. magnifien, F. magnifier, L. magnificare. See Magnific.].

•  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.  [1913 Webster]

  "The least error in a small quantity . . . will in a great one . . . be proportionately magnified."  [1913 Webster]
•  To increase the importance of; to augment the esteem or respect in which one is held.  [1913 Webster]

  "On that day the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel."  [1913 Webster]
•  To praise highly; to laud; to extol.  [1913 Webster]

  "O, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together."  [1913 Webster]
•  To exaggerate; as, to magnify a loss or a difficulty.  [1913 Webster]

To magnify one's self (Script.), to exhibit pride and haughtiness; to boast. -- To magnify one's self against (Script.), to oppose with pride.

Magnify, v. i. 

•  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.  [1913 Webster]
•  To have effect; to be of importance or significance.  Spectator.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Magnify, v.tr. (-ies, -ied)
1 make (a thing) appear larger than it is, as with a lens.
2 exaggerate.
3 intensify.
4 archaic extol, glorify.

Idiom

magnifying glass a lens used to produce an enlarged image.

Derivative

magnifiable adj. magnifier n.

Etymology

ME f. OF magnifier or L magnificare (as MAGNIFICENT)

THESAURUS

Magnify

accelerate, add to, adulate, agent provocateur, aggrandize, aggravate, amplify, annoy, apotheose, apotheosize, augment, ballyhoo, beatify, beef up, belaud, bepraise, bless, bless the Lord, bloat, blow up, boast of, boost, brag about, broaden, build, build up, bulk, bulk out, burlesque, canonize, caricature, carry too far, celebrate, color, complicate, concentrate, condense, consolidate, crescendo, crown, cry up, deepen, deify, deteriorate, develop, dignify, dilate, distend, distinguish, double, doxologize, dramatize, draw the longbow, elevate, embellish, embitter, emblazon, enhance, enlarge, ennoble, enshrine, enthrone, erect, eulogize, exacerbate, exaggerate, exalt, exasperate, expand, extend, extol, flatter, fudge, glamorize, glorify, glorify the Lord, go to extremes, heat up, heighten, hero-worship, hike, hike up, honor, hop up, hot up, huff, hymn, hyperbolize, idolize, immortalize, increase, inflate, intensify, irritate, jazz up, key up, laud, lay it on, lionize, make acute, make complex, make legendary, make much of, make worse, maximize, mount, multiply, overcharge, overdo, overdraw, overemphasize, overestimate, overpaint, overpraise, overreach, overreact, oversell, overspeak, overstate, overstress, pad, panegyrize, pay tribute, pile it on, porter aux nues, praise, praise God, provoke, puff, puff up, pump, pump up, raise, ramify, rarefy, redouble, reinforce, rouse, saint, salute, sanctify, set up, sharpen, sing praises, soup up, sour, step up, strengthen, stretch, stretch the truth, sublime, sufflate, swell, talk big, talk in superlatives, throne, tout, travesty, triple, trumpet, up, uplift, uprear, vise, whet, widen, worsen

ROGET THESAURUS

Magnify

Increase

VB increase, augment, add to, enlarge, dilate, grow, wax, get ahead, gain strength, advance, run up, shoot up, rise, ascend, sprout, aggrandize, raise, exalt, deepen, heighten, strengthen, intensify, enhance, magnify, redouble, aggravate, exaggerate, exasperate, exacerbate, add fuel to the flame, oleum addere camino, superadd, spread.

Worship

VB worship, lift up the heart, aspire, revere, adore, do service, pay homage, humble oneself, kneel, bow the knee, bend the knee, fall down, fall on one's knees, prostrate oneself, bow down and worship, pray, invoke, supplicate, put up, offer up prayers, offer petitions, beseech, say one's prayers, tell one's beads, return thanks, give thanks, say grace, bless, praise, laud, glorify, magnify, sing praises, give benediction, lead the choir, intone, deacon, deacon off propitiate, offer sacrifice, fast, deny oneself, vow, offer vows, give alms, work out one's salvation, go to church, attend service, attend mass, communicate.

Expansion

VB become larger &c (large), expand, widen, enlarge, extend, grow, increase, incrassate, swell, gather, fill out, deploy, take open order, dilate, stretch, distend, spread, mantle, wax, grow up, spring up, bud, bourgeon, shoot, sprout, germinate, put forth, vegetate, pullulate, open, burst forth, gain flesh, gather flesh, outgrow, spread like wildfire, overrun, be larger than, surpass, render larger &c (large), expand, spread, extend, aggrandize, distend, develop, amplify, spread out, widen, magnify, rarefy, inflate, puff, blow up, stuff, pad, cram, exaggerate, fatten.

Approbation

VB approve, approbate, think good, think much of, think well of, think highly of, esteem, value, prize, set great store by, set great store on, do justice to, appreciate, honor, hold in esteem, look up to, admire, like, be in favor of, wish Godspeed, hail, hail with satisfaction, stand up for, stick up for, uphold, hold up, countenance, sanction, clap on the back, pat on the back, keep in countenance, indorse, give credit, recommend, mark with a white mark, mark with a stone, commend, belaud, praise, laud, compliment, pay a tribute, bepraise, clap the hands, applaud, cheer, acclamate, encore, panegyrize, eulogize, cry up, proner, puff, extol, extol to the skies, magnify, glorify, exalt, swell, make much of, flatter, bless, give a blessing to, have a good word for, say a good word for, speak well of, speak highly of, speak in high terms of, sing the praises of, sound the praises of, chaunt the praises of, resound the praises of, sing praises to, cheer to the echo, applaud to the echo, applaud to the very echo, cheer to the very echo, redound to the honor, redound to the praise, redound to the credit of, do credit to, deserve praise, recommend itself, pass muster, be praised, receive honorable mention, be in favor with, be in high favor with, ring with the praises of, win golden opinions, gain credit, find favor with, stand well in the opinion of, laudari a laudato viro.

Overestimation

VB overestimate, overrate, overvalue, overprize, overweigh, overreckon, overstrain, overpraise, eulogize, estimate too highly, attach too much importance to, make mountains of molehills, catch at straws, strain, magnify, exaggerate, set too high a value upon, think much of, make much of, think too much of, make too much of, outreckon, panegyrize, extol, extol to the skies, make the most of, make the best of, make the worst of, make two bites of a cherry, have too high an opinion of oneself.

Exaggeration

VB exaggerate, magnify, pile up, aggravate, amplify, overestimate, hyperbolize, overcharge, overstate, overdraw, overlay, overshoot the mark, overpraise, make over much, over the most of, strain, strain over a point, stretch, stretch a point, go great lengths, spin a long yarn, draw with a longbow, shoot with a longbow, deal in the marvelous, out-Herod Herod, run riot, talk at random, heighten, overcolor, color highly, color too highly, broder, flourish, color, puff.