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magnify

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Magnify is defined as to make something larger or more important, or to increase the perceived size of something.

(verb)

An example of magnify is to turn a little problem into a huge fight.
An example of magnify is for a microscope to make a tiny cell look a lot bigger.

See magnify in Webster's New World College Dictionary

Rare to make greater in size, status, or importance; enlarge
to cause to seem greater, more important, etc. than is really so; exaggerate: to magnify one's sufferings
to cause to seem larger than is really so; increase the apparent size of, esp. by means of a lens or lenses
Archaic to glorify; praise; extol

Origin: ME magnifien < OFr magnifier < L magnificare, to make much of, esteem highly, LL(Ec), to worship < magnus, great (see magni-) + facere, to make, do

intransitive verb

to have the power of increasing the apparent size of an object, as a microscope does

See magnify in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb mag·ni·fied, mag·ni·fy·ing, mag·ni·fies

verb, transitive

To make greater in size; enlarge.
To cause to appear greater or seem more important than is in fact the case; exaggerate: You have grossly magnified a trivial situation. See Synonyms at exaggerate.
To increase the apparent size of, especially by means of a lens.
To glorify or praise.

verb, intransitive

To increase or have the power to increase the size or volume of an image or a sound.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English magnifien, to extol

Origin: , from Old French magnifier

Origin: , from Latin magnificāre

Origin: , from magnificus, magnificent; see magnific

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