augment

present singular third person augments · participle present augmenting · participle past augmented · past augmented

1. transitiveTo increase; to make larger or supplement.

   The money from renting out a spare room can augment a salary.

   1 more example

   [T]he fauour of Princes and Magiſtrates noryſheth, augmenteth, and amplyfyeth all artes and ſciences by liberalitie, and extynguyſheth the ſame by miſerable couetouſnes and parcimonie.

   1561, Richard Eden, “To the Ryght Worshypfull Syr Wyllyam Garrerd Knyght, and Master Thomas Lodge, Aldermen of the Citie of London, and Gouernours of the Honorable Felowshyp or Societie, aswell of Certaine of the Nobilitie, as of Marchauntes Aduenturers, for the Discouery of Landes, Territories, Ilandes, and Seignories Vnknowen, and Not before Their First Aduenture or Enterprise by Seas or Nauigations Commonly Frequented: And to the Right Worshypfull the Consulles, Assistentes, and Comminaltie of the Same Societie, Richarde Eden Wyssheth Health and Prosperitie”, in Martin Cortes [i.e., Martín Cortés de Albacar], translated by Richard Eden, The Arte of Nauigation: Conteynyng a Compendious Description of the Sphere, with the Makyng of Certen Instrumentes and Rules for Nauigations: and Exemplified by Manye Demonstrations. […], London: […] Richard Jugge, […], →OCLC, signature [¶ iii], recto

2. intransitivereflexiveTo grow; to increase; to become greater.
3. entertainmentTo slow the tempo or meter, e.g. for a dramatic or stately passage.
4. entertainmentTo increase an interval, especially the largest interval in a triad, by a half step (chromatic semitone).
5. transitivegrammarTo add an augment to.

plural augments

1. A grammatical prefix
   1. Indo-European languagesgrammarIn some languages, a prefix *é- (अ- (a-) in Sanskrit, ἐ- (e-) in Greek) indicating a past tense of a verb.

      The augment is found in Greek, Indo-Iranian, Armenian and Phrygian.

   2. Celtic languagesgrammarEspecially Old Irish, a preverb, usually ro-, used to give a verb a resultative or potential meaning.

      Fundamentally the augment characterizes a verbal action viewed from a non-contemporary standpoint, either the moment of speaking (or writing) or a further verbal action.

      1987, Kim McCone, chapter IX, in The early Irish verb, 2nd edition, Maynooth: An Sagart, published 1997, →ISBN, section 3.1, page 93

   3. Bantu languagesgrammarIn some languages, an additional vowel prepended to the noun prefix.
2. An increase.