ex·pand /ɪkˈspænd/
(vt.)展開;擴大,擴充,發展膨脹,擴張;張開,展開,使膨脹,使擴張;張開
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擴充 擴展
Ex·pand v. t. [imp. & p. p. Expanded; p. pr. & vb. n. Expanding.]
1. To lay open by extending; to open wide; to spread out; to diffuse; as, a flower expands its leaves.
Then with expanded wings he steers his flight. --Milton.
2. To cause the particles or parts of to spread themselves or stand apart, thus increasing bulk without addition of substance; to make to occupy more space; to dilate; to distend; to extend every way; to enlarge; -- opposed to contract; as, to expand the chest; heat expands all bodies; to expand the sphere of benevolence.
3. Math. To state in enlarged form; to develop; as, to expand an equation. See Expansion, 5.
Ex·pand, v. i. To become widely opened, spread apart, dilated, distended, or enlarged; as, flowers expand in the spring; metals expand by heat; the heart expands with joy.
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v 1: extend in one or more directions; "The dough expands" [syn:
spread out] [ant: shrink]
2: become larger in size or volume or quantity; "his business
expanded rapidly"
3: make bigger or wider in size, volume, or quantity; "expand
the house by adding another wing"
4: grow stronger; "The economy was booming" [syn: boom, prosper,
thrive, get ahead, flourish]
5: exaggerate or make bigger; "The charges were inflated" [syn:
inflate, blow up, amplify]
6: add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning
of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing;
"She elaborated on the main ideas in her dissertation"
[syn: elaborate, lucubrate, expatiate, exposit, enlarge,
flesh out, expound, dilate] [ant: abridge]
7: expand the influence of; "The King extended his rule to the
Eastern part of the continent" [syn: extend]