greaten

English

Etymology

From Middle English gretnen (“to become great, be pregnant”), equivalent to great +‎ -en.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɡɹeɪtən/

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Verb

greaten (third-person singular simple present greatens, present participle greatening, simple past and past participle greatened)

1. (intransitive) To become great or large; increase; dilate.
2. (intransitive, obsolete) To become great with child; become pregnant.
3. (transitive) To make great; magnify; enlarge; increase.
   • 1685, Thomas Ken, sermon preached […] at Whitehall:

     one studies how how to please his prince, the other how to greaten and secure him.

   • 1860, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Parting Lovers:

     No blushes! all my body's blood / Has gone to greaten this poor heart, / That, loving, we may part.

Antonyms

• decrease, lessen

See also

• engreaten

Anagrams

• grantee, negater, reagent, rentage, reägent