increase

Alternative forms

• encrease (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English increase, borrowed from Anglo-Norman encreistre, from Old French, from Latin increscere (“increase”), present active infinitive of increscō, from in (“in, on”) + crescō (“grow”).

The verb is from Middle English incresen, encresen.

Pronunciation

• (verb): enPR: ĭnkrēsʹ, IPA^(key): /ɪnˈkɹiːs/

• Audio (US)

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• (noun): enPR: ĭnʹkrēs, IPA^(key): /ˈɪnkɹiːs/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -iːs
• Hyphenation: in‧crease

Verb

increase (third-person singular simple present increases, present participle increasing, simple past and past participle increased)

1. (intransitive) (of a quantity) To become larger.
   • Bible, Genesis vii. 17

     The waters increased and bare up the ark.

   • Shakespeare

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

2. (transitive) To make (a quantity) larger.
   • 2013 July-August, Fenella Saunders, “Tiny Lenses See the Big Picture”, in American Scientist:

     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.

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

     Fishes are more numerous of increasing than beasts or birds, as appears by their numerous spawn.

4. (astronomy, intransitive) To become more nearly full; to show more of the surface; to wax.

   The Moon increases.

Noun

increase (countable and uncountable, plural increases)

1. An amount by which a quantity is increased.
   • 2013 July-August, Philip J. Bushnell, “Solvents, Ethanol, Car Crashes & Tolerance”, in American Scientist:

     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.

2. For a quantity, the act or process of becoming larger
3. (knitting) The creation of one or more new stitches; see Increase (knitting).

Further reading

• increase in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• increase in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• increase at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• Cairenes, Ceresian, resiance