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Magnify: Definition, Usage & Common Mistakes (2 meaning)
Meaning 1：enlarge visually (magnify)
magnify
/ˈmæɡnɪfaɪ/
vt.
To make something look bigger than it really is, using a tool like a magnifying glass or microscope.
enlarge visually
➕
/ɪnˈlɑːrdʒ ˈvɪʒuəli/
vt.
To increase the visible size of an object using an optical device like a microscope or magnifying glass.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
From Latin 'magnus' (great) and 'facere' (to make), meaning to make great or enlarge.
💡 Mnemonic
Imagine a MAGnifying glass making things look MAGnified.
📖 Example
In biology class, we used a microscope to magnify a tiny insect so we could see its delicate wings clearly.
In a biology lesson, a microscope was used to make a small insect appear larger for clear wing observation.
🔗 Collocations
magnify an image – to make a picture appear larger
magnify details – to enlarge specific parts for better viewing
magnify with a lens – to use a lens to increase visual size
🔄 Synonyms
🚫 Antonyms
🌱 Derivatives
magnification (n.) – the process of magnifying or the degree of enlargement
magnifier (n.) – a device used for magnifying, such as a magnifying glass
📖 Cultural Story
Originates from Latin 'magnificare', entering English in the 14th century for both physical enlargement and rhetorical exaggeration.
Meaning 2：exaggerate (magnify)
magnify
/ˈmæɡnɪfaɪ/
vt.
To make a problem, fear, or feeling seem much bigger, worse, or more important than it really is.
exaggerate
➕
/ɪɡˈzædʒəreɪt/
vt.
To make a problem, fear, or emotion seem more significant or severe than it actually is.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
Don't magnify a small mistake at work into a disaster; your boss will likely understand and help you fix it.
Do not turn a minor work error into a catastrophe by exaggerating it; your supervisor will probably comprehend and assist in correcting it.
🔗 Collocations
magnify a problem – to make an issue appear worse than it is
magnify fears – to intensify anxieties unnecessarily
magnify emotions – to amplify feelings beyond their actual scale
🔄 Synonyms
exaggerate (vt.) – to represent something as larger or more important than it is
overstate (vt.) – to describe something in an exaggerated way
blow out of proportion (v. phr.) – to make a small issue seem much larger
🚫 Antonyms
minimize (vt.) – to reduce the importance or size of something
understate (vt.) – to describe something as less than it is
downplay (vt.) – to make something seem less important
🌱 Derivatives
magnification (n.) – can also refer to the act of exaggerating
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