increase

present singular third person increases · participle present increasing · participle past increased · past increased · alternative encrease

1. intransitive(of a quantity, etc.) To become larger or greater, to greaten.

   His rage only increased when I told him of the lost money.

   5 more examples

   The waters increased and bare up the ark.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 7:17

   The heavens forbid / But that our loves and comforts should increase, / Even as our days do grow!

   c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]

   I have reckoned upon a Medium, that a Child juſt born vvill vveigh 12 pounds, and in a ſolar Year if tollerably nurſed encreaſeth to 28 Pound.

   1729, [Jonathan Swift], A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People from Being a Burthen to Their Parents, or the Country, and for Making Them Beneficial to the Publick, Dublin: […] S[arah] Harding, […], →OCLC, page 7

   This contribution reduces with increasing distance p from the emitting surface element dA, due to conservation of energy, as the wave energy distributed across the spherical wave front remains constant, while the radius increases during ...

   1998, Dieter Schuocker, Handbook of the Eurolaser Academy, Springer Science & Business Media, →ISBN, page 51

   The report said that deep learning methods increased from just 118 patent requests in 2013 to nearly 2,400 in 2016.

   2019 February 3, “UN Study: China, US, Japan Lead World AI Development”, in Voice of America, archived from the original on 07 Feb 2019

2. transitiveTo make (a quantity, etc.) larger.

   Drivers like the idea of increasing traffic flow and reducing congestion on the portion of I-80 between Davis and West Sacramento.

   2024 May 17, Orko Manna, “Toll lane project on Interstate 80 between West Sacramento and Davis gets green light”, in KCRA, archived from the original on 22 May 2024

   1 more example

   The single-imaging optic of the mammalian eye offers some distinct visual advantages. Such lenses can take in photons from a wide range of angles, increasing light sensitivity. They also have high spatial resolution, resolving incoming images in minute detail.

   2013 July-August, Fenella Saunders, “Tiny Lenses See the Big Picture”, in American Scientist, archived from the original on 07 Sep 2013

   Synonyms: increment

3. To multiply by the production of young; to be fertile, fruitful, or prolific.

   Fishes are infinitely more numerous of increasing than Beasts or Birds, as appears by the numerous Spawn.

   a. 1677 (date written), Matthew Hale, The Primitive Origination of Mankind, Considered and Examined According to the Light of Nature, London: […] William Godbid, for William Shrowsbery, […], published 1677, →OCLC

   Synonyms: proliferate, propagate, teem

4. intransitiveastronomyTo become more nearly full; to show more of the surface; to wax.

   The Moon increases.

   Synonyms: wax

plural increases · alternative encrease

1. countableuncountableAn amount by which a quantity is increased.

   An increase of about 30% in hits on the website.

   2 more examples

   Surprisingly, this analysis revealed that acute exposure to solvent vapors at concentrations below those associated with long-term effects appears to increase the risk of a fatal automobile accident. Furthermore, this increase in risk is comparable to the risk of death from leukemia after long-term exposure to benzene, another solvent, which has the well-known property of causing this type of cancer.

   2013 July-August, Philip J. Bushnell, “Solvents, Ethanol, Car Crashes & Tolerance”, in American Scientist

   She says an increase in melting from climate change may put that at risk.

   2018, VOA Learning English > China's Melting Glacier Brings Visitors, Adds to Climate Concerns

   Synonyms: gain

2. countableuncountableFor a quantity, the act or process of becoming larger.

   In socialist religion God was replaced by humanity, a superior creation in which the individual could find an object of love and worship: he could thus rise above his insignificant ego and experience the joy of sacrificing his own interest to the infinite increase of collective Being..

   1978 [1976], Leszek Kołakowski, translated by P[aul] S[teven] Falla, Main Currents of Marxism, volume II: The Golden Age, Oxford: Clarendon Press, translation of Główne nurty marksizmu: rozwój (in Polish), →ISBN, →OCLC, page 447

   Synonyms: enlargement

3. countableuncountableOffspring, progeny.

   1 more example

   That infortunate imperfit Embrion of my idle houres the Ile of Dogs before mentioned, breeding vnto me ſuch bitter throwes in the teaming as it did, and the tempeſtes that aroſe at his birth, ſo aſtoniſhing outragious and violent as if my braine had bene conceiued of another Hercules, I was ſo terrifyed with my owne encreaſe (like a woman long trauailing to bee deliuered of a monſter) that it was no ſooner borne but I was glad to run from it.

   1599, [Thomas] Nashe, Nashes Lenten Stuffe, […], London: […] [Thomas Judson and Valentine Simmes] for N[icholas] L[ing] and C[uthbert] B[urby] […], →OCLC, page 2

4. countableuncountablecrochetbusinessThe creation of one or more new stitches; see Increase (knitting).

1. historicalA male given name.