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widen

   Also found in: Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.03 sec.
wid·en  (wdn)
tr. & intr.v. wid·ened, wid·en·ing, wid·ens
To make or become wide or wider.

widen·er n.

widen
Verb
to make or become wide or wider
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Verb1.widen - become broader or wider or more extensive; "The road widened"
increase - become bigger or greater in amount; "The amount of work increased"
flare out, flare - become flared and widen, usually at one end; "The bellbottom pants flare out"
dilate, distend - become wider; "His pupils were dilated"
narrow, contract - make or become more narrow or restricted; "The selection was narrowed"; "The road narrowed"
2.widen - make (clothes) larger; "Let out that dress--I gained a lot of weight"
vary, alter, change - become different in some particular way, without permanently losing one's or its former characteristics or essence; "her mood changes in accordance with the weather"; "The supermarket's selection of vegetables varies according to the season"
3.widen - make wider; "widen the road"
alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue"
white out - widen the interlinear spacing by inserting leads
4.widen - extend in scope or range or area; "The law was extended to all citizens"; "widen the range of applications"; "broaden your horizon"; "Extend your backyard"
increase - make bigger or more; "The boss finally increased her salary"; "The university increased the number of students it admitted"
broaden - make broader; "broaden the road"
territorialise, territorialize - extend by adding territory
globalise, globalize - make world-wide in scope or application; "Markets are being increasingly globalized"
expand, extend - expand the influence of; "The King extended his rule to the Eastern part of the continent"
stretch - extend the scope or meaning of; often unduly; "Stretch the limits"; "stretch my patience"; "stretch the imagination"

widen
verb 1. broaden, expand, enlarge, dilate, spread, extend, stretch, open wide, open out or up << OPPOSITE narrow
2. get wider, spread, extend, expand, broaden, open wide, open out or up << OPPOSITE narrow
Translations
Spanish widen [ˈwaɪdn] vtensanchar
French widen [ˈwaɪdn] wide vtélargir
vis'élargir

German widen [ˈwaɪdn] wide vt [+ road, river] → verbreitern [+ one's experience]; erweitern
Italian widen [ˈwaɪdn] vtallargare, ampliare

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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
But one must not expect every thing; though I suppose it would be no difficult matter to widen them.
There was now an apparent disposition to relax; to widen the circle of confidences and give a more general tone to the conversation.
Straightway her eyes begun to widen with astonishment and admiration, and she clapped her hands and cried out, "Why, it do beat all
 
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