lengthen

lengthen
—lengthener, n.
/lengk"theuhn, leng"-, len"-/, v.t.
1. to make longer; make greater in length.
v.i.
2. to become greater in length; grow long or longer.
[1490-1500; LENGTH + -EN1]
Syn. 1. elongate, draw out. LENGTHEN, EXTEND, STRETCH, PROLONG, PROTRACT agree in the idea of making longer. To LENGTHEN is to make longer, either in a material or an immaterial sense: to lengthen a dress. To EXTEND is to lengthen beyond some original point or so as to reach a certain point: to extend a railway line by a hundred miles. To STRETCH is primarily to lengthen by drawing or tension: to stretch a rubber band. Both PROLONG and PROTRACT mean esp. to lengthen in time, and therefore apply to intangibles. To PROLONG is to continue beyond the desired, estimated, or allotted time: to prolong an interview. To PROTRACT is to draw out to undue length or to be slow in coming to a conclusion: to protract a discussion.
Ant. 1. shorten.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Synonyms:
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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Lengthen — Length en ( n), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Lengthened} ( nd); p. pr. & vb. n. {Lengthening} ( n*[i^]ng).] To extent in length; to make longer in extent or duration; as, to lengthen a line or a road; to lengthen life; sometimes followed by out. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Lengthen — Length en, v. i. To become longer. Locke. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • lengthen — I verb add to, aggrandize, amplify, augment, compound, continue, draw out, elongate, enlarge, enlarge upon, expand, extend, increase, keep, make larger, project, prolong, prolongate, protract, spin out, spread, stretch, supplement, sustain,… …   Law dictionary

  • lengthen — (v.) late 14c., from LENGTH (Cf. length) + EN (Cf. en) (1). Related: Lengthened; lengthening. Earlier verb was simply length (c.1300) …   Etymology dictionary

  • lengthen — *extend, elongate, prolong, protract Analogous words: *increase, augment: *expand, amplify, distend Antonyms: shorten Contrasted words: abridge, abbreviate, curtail (see SHORTEN) …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • lengthen — [v] extend amplify, augment, continue, dilate, distend, drag out, draw, draw out*, elongate, expand, increase, let out, make longer, pad, proceed, prolong, prolongate, protract, reach, spin out*, stretch, string out*; concepts 236,239,245 Ant.… …   New thesaurus

  • lengthen — ► VERB ▪ make or become longer …   English terms dictionary

  • lengthen — [leŋk′thən, leŋ′thən] vt., vi. to make or become longer SYN. EXTEND lengthener n …   English World dictionary

  • lengthen — UK [ˈleŋθ(ə)n] / US [ˈleŋθən] verb [intransitive/transitive] Word forms lengthen : present tense I/you/we/they lengthen he/she/it lengthens present participle lengthening past tense lengthened past participle lengthened to become longer, or to… …   English dictionary

  • lengthen —   Ho olō ihi, ho ololoa, ho ohuelo.    ♦ To lengthen by grafting or splicing, pāna i.    ♦ To lengthen a sound, ho okō i ka leo, ume.    ♦ To lengthen, as a speech or story, ho olō ihi; hilohilo (rare) …   English-Hawaiian dictionary

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