increase

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the act of increasing something

   They gave me an increase in salary.

2. 2
   noun

   the amount by which something increases

   they proposed an increase of 15 percent in the fare

3. 3
   noun

   a change resulting in an increase

   the increase is scheduled for next month

4. 4
   noun

   a process of becoming larger or longer or more numerous or more important

   the increase in unemployment

5. 5
   verb

   make bigger or more

   The boss finally increased everyone's salary.

6. 6
   verb

   become bigger or greater in amount

   The amount of work increased

7. 7
   verb

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

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

8. 8
   verb

   To make (a quantity, etc.) larger.

   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.

Etymology

From Middle English encresen, borrowed from Anglo-Norman encreistre, from Latin increscere (“to increase”), from in (“in, on”) + crescō (“grow”). The noun is from Middle English encres, from the verb.