transitive verb
- to spread out; open out; stretch out; unfold: the eagle expanded its wings
- to make greater in size, bulk, scope, etc.; enlarge; dilate; extend
- to enlarge upon (a topic, idea, etc.); develop in detail
- to work out or show the full form of (a contraction, mathematical equation, etc.)
Origin:
ME expanden < L expandere < ex-, out + pandere, to spread, extend; akin to patere: see fathom