# expand
## English
### Etymology

Recorded in Middle English since 1422 (as expanden, expaunden), from Anglo-Norman espaundre, from Latin expandere (“to spread out”), itself from ex- (“out, outwards”) + pandō (“to spread”). Doublet of spawn.

### Pronunciation

* Rhymes: -ænd
* IPA: /ɪkˈspænd/, /ɛkˈspænd/
** Audio (Southern England):(file)

### Verb

expand (third-person singular simple present expands, present participle expanding, simple past and past participle expanded)
* (transitive) 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.
* (transitive) To increase the extent, number, volume or scope of (something).
    A flower expands its leaves.
** 1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:Then with expanded wings he steers his flight.
** 1961 October, “The winter timetables of British Railways: Scottish Region”, in Trains Illustrated, page 594:This has evidently been encouraging, for the current winter timetable - not even with the benefit of summer holiday traffic - shows that the two trains each way have been expanded to four.
* (transitive) To express (something) at length and/or in detail.
* (transitive, algebra) To rewrite (an expression) as a longer, yet equivalent sum of terms.
    Use the binomial theorem to expand ${(x+1)}^{4}$.
* (intransitive, algebra, of an expression) To become, by rewriting, a longer, yet equivalent sum of terms.
    The expression ${(x+1)}^{4}$ expands to $x^{4}+4x^{3}+6x^{2}+4x+1$.
* (transitive, arithmetic) 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 $4/7$ by $3$ gives $12/21$.
* (intransitive) 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.
* (intransitive) To increase in extent, number, volume or scope.
* (intransitive) To speak or write at length or in detail.
    He expanded on his plans for the business.
** 1899, Stephen Crane, chapter 1, in Twelve O'Clock:There was some laughter, and Roddle was left free to expand his ideas on the periodic visits of cowboys to the town. “Mason Rickets, he had ten big punkins a-sittin' in front of his store, an' them fellers from the Upside-down-F ranch shot 'em up […] ”
* (intransitive) To feel generous or optimistic.
* (transitive, computing) In a hierarchical list (such as a directory tree or table of contents), to show the subentries of (an entry).
    Antonym: collapse

#### Conjugation

| infinitive | (to) expand | (to) expand |
| | present tense | past tense |
| 1st-person singular | expand | expanded |
| 2nd-person singular | expand, expandest$^†$ | expanded, expandedst$^†$ |
| 3rd-person singular | expands, expandeth$^†$ | expanded |
| plural | expand | expanded |
| subjunctive | expand | expanded |
| imperative | expand | — |
| participles | expanding | expanded |
$^†$Archaic or obsolete.

#### Synonyms

* (to change from a smaller form/size to a larger one): open out, spread, spread out, unfold
* (to increase the extent, number, volume or scope of): enlarge
* (to express at length or in detail): elaborate (on), expand on

#### Antonyms

* (antonym(s) of “to change from a smaller form/size to a larger one”): contract
* (antonym(s) of “to increase the extent, number, volume or scope of”): contract, limit
* (to express at length or in detail): limit
* (antonym(s) of “algebra: to rewrite as an equivalent sum of terms”): factor

#### Derived terms

* coexpand
* companding
* expandability
* expandable
* expandedly
* expandedness
* expander
* expandingly
* expandingness
* expand one's wings
* hyperexpanded
* misexpand
* nonexpanded
* nonexpanding
* overexpand
* reexpand
* semiexpanded
* underexpanded
* unexpanded
* unexpanding

#### Related terms

* expanse
* expansible
* expansile
* expansion
* expansionism
* expansive

#### Translations

    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.