concentrate

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a concentrated example of something

   the concentrate of contemporary despair

2. 2
   verb

   to be cooked until very little liquid is left

   In order to make a jus, I concentrated the stock.

3. 3
   verb

   to make denser, stronger, or purer

   concentrate juice

4. 4
   verb

   to make more concise

   You should concentrate your arguments.

5. 5
   verb

   to make central

   The audience concentrated its attention on the magician.

6. 6
   verb

   to draw together or meet in one common center

   These groups concentrate in the inner cities.

7. 7
   verb

   To bring to, or direct toward, a common center; to unite more closely; to gather into one body, mass, or force.

   to concentrate rays of light into a focus

8. 8
   verb

   To increase the strength and diminish the bulk of, as of a liquid or an ore; to intensify, by getting rid of useless material; to condense.

   to concentrate acid by evaporation

Etymology

(early 17th century) From a Romance language, see French concentrer, Italian concentràre, Spanish concentrar; alternatively from Medieval Latin/New Latin concentrō + -ate (verb-forming suffix). Compare also earlier concentre and German konzentrieren. By surface analysis, con- + center (centr- in compounds) + -ate (verb-forming suffix).