expand.
To change (something) from a smaller form or size to a larger one; to spread out or lay open.
Meaning & usage
To change (something) from a smaller form or size to a larger one; to spread out or lay open.
You can expand this compact umbrella to cover a large table.
To increase the extent, number, volume or scope of (something).
A flower expands its leaves.
To express (something) at length and/or in detail.
To rewrite (an expression) as a longer, yet equivalent, sum of terms.
Use the binomial theorem to expand #123;(x#43;1)#125;⁴.
To become, by rewriting, a longer, yet equivalent, sum of terms.
The expression #123;(x#43;1)#125;⁴ expands to x⁴#43;4x³#43;6x²#43;4x#43;1.
To multiply both the numerator and the denominator of a fraction by the same (non-zero) number (which yields a fraction of equal value).
Expanding 4#47;7 by 3 gives 12#47;21.
To change or grow from smaller to larger in form, number, or size.
Many materials expand when heated.
This compact umbrella expands to cover a large table.
To increase in extent, number, volume or scope.
To speak or write at length or in detail.
He expanded on his plans for the business.
To feel generous or optimistic.
In a hierarchical list (such as a directory tree or table of contents), to show the subentries of (an entry).
Where this word comes from
Recorded in Middle English since 1422 (as expanden, expaunden), from Anglo-Norman espaundre, from Latin expandō (“to spread out”), itself from ex- (“out, outwards”) + pandō (“to spread”). Doublet of spawn.
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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.
Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.