INCREASE


Meaning of INCREASE in English

INDEX:

numbers or amounts increase

1. to increase

2. when numbers or amounts are increasing

3. to increase a lot

4. to increase quickly or suddenly

5. to increase by gradually adding more

6. to make a number or amount increase

7. to increase by adding another number or amount

8. to increase the amount of something you do

9. to turn or push a button to increase something

10. an increase in a number or amount

11. an increase in an amount of money

12. a sudden large increase

feelings increase

13. when a feeling becomes stronger

14. to make feelings become stronger

15. becoming stronger

16. an increase in the strength of feelings

RELATED WORDS

opposite

↑ LESS

see also

↑ GROW

↑ MORE

↑ BIG

◆◆◆

1. to increase

▷ increase /ɪnˈkriːs/ [intransitive verb]

to become larger in number, amount, price, value etc :

▪ Gradually the noise and traffic increased as they approached the city.

▪ Hormone levels increase throughout pregnancy.

▪ The use of mobile phones has increased enormously over the past two years.

▪ Revenue and profits have increased dramatically this year.

increase by 10%/$100/2 million etc

▪ The price of cigarettes has increased by 30% in the last two years.

increase to

to reach a total of $1000 etc

▪ Wind speeds are expected to increase to 60 mph.

▪ The number of high school students using LSD has increased to its highest level since 1986.

increase from £300/1 million etc to £400/1.5 million etc

▪ Health care costs increased from £1.9 billion in 2000 to £4 billion in 2001.

increase in number/value etc

▪ Major league clubs have increased in number from 26 to 28.

▷ go up/rise /ˌgəʊ ˈʌp, raɪz/ [intransitive phrasal verb/intransitive verb]

to increase - use this about numbers, prices, or temperatures etc, but also about the level or standard of something :

▪ The price of petrol is going up again, for the third time this year.

▪ The jobless rate hit 9.3% last month, after rising for four months in a row.

▪ With more and more cars on the road, pollution levels are rising steadily.

▪ You’ll need about £10, if the rail fare’s gone up again, which I expect it has.

go up/rise by 10%/$500 etc

become 10% etc greater

▪ Personal computer sales rose by 70% in the run-up to Christmas.

go up/rise to

▪ By mid-day, the temperature had already risen to 40 degrees.

go up/rise from £300/1 million etc to £400/2 million etc

▪ The average price of a loaf of bread has gone up from 25p to 60p.

▷ grow /grəʊ/ [intransitive verb]

to increase gradually over a period of time - use this about numbers or amounts, or about a total amount of business activity or trade :

▪ China’s economic output continues to grow at a remarkable annual rate.

▪ Demand for new cars is growing rapidly.

▪ The number of openly gay rock musicians has grown steadily in recent years, and shows no signs of abating.

grow by 10%/5000 etc

become 10% etc greater

▪ Profits in the military aircraft business grew by 28% to a record $905 million.

grow to

▪ The personnel team has grown to 6,700 full-time employees from just 900 in 2000.

▷ climb /klaɪm/ [intransitive verb]

if the temperature, prices, profits etc climb, they increase until they reach a very high level :

▪ Demand for goods grew and imports climbed steadily.

climb to

▪ The original estimate of $500 million has now climbed to a staggering $1300 million.

▪ Temperatures are expected to climb to record levels this weekend.

▷ gain /geɪn/ [transitive verb]

if something or someone gains speed, weight, or height, their speed, weight, or height increases :

▪ The train rolled forward, gaining speed rapidly.

▪ A new-born baby will gain weight at around one ounce per day.

▪ The four men told the inquiry they did not know why the plane failed to gain height after it took off.

▷ escalate /ˈeskəleɪt/ [intransitive verb]

to increase to a high level - use this about things you do not want to increase such as prices, crimes etc :

▪ Gas prices are expected to continue to escalate in the short term.

▪ Staff saw costs escalating and sales slumping as the effect of the recession hit the company.

escalate to

▪ The cost of the new building has escalated to a worrying level.

escalate sharply/dramatically

▪ The number of attacks on foreign aid workers has escalated dramatically.

▷ pick up /ˌpɪk ˈʌp/ [intransitive phrasal verb]

if trade, business, or work picks up, the amount of it that is available increases after it has been at a level that is too low :

▪ Their shop was losing money, but they carried on in the hope that business would pick up soon.

▪ At present the hotel is almost empty, but I’m sure things will start to pick up in the spring.

▷ widen /ˈwaɪdn/ [intransitive verb]

if a difference between two amounts widens, or the range of things available widens, it increases :

▪ The range of university courses available has widened tremendously in recent years.

▪ The gap between the incomes of two-carer families and lone mothers with children has widened.

▷ be on the increase /biː ɒn ði ˈɪŋkriːs/ [verb phrase]

if something bad such as a problem or illness is on the increase, it is happening more and more frequently :

▪ Juvenile crime is on the increase in most parts of the country.

▪ Homelessness has been on the increase for a long time.

be on the increase among

▪ What is particularly alarming is that bullying is on the increase among even very young primary children.

▷ intensify /ɪnˈtensɪfaɪ, ɪnˈtensəfaɪ/ [intransitive verb]

if an effort or an activity such as fighting intensifies, it increases so that more people do it or the people already doing it use more effort :

▪ The fighting intensified and spread through the city.

▪ As the season intensifies, quarterback Young will need to work on his fitness.

▪ The controversy is only expected to intensify.

intensification /ɪnˌtensɪfəˈkeɪʃ ə n, ɪnˌtensəfəˈkeɪʃ ə n/ [uncountable noun]

▪ The decades of the 1950s and 1960s saw an intensification of the Cold War.

▷ expand /ɪkˈspænd/ [intransitive verb]

if trade or a business activity expands, it increases :

▪ Trade between developing countries and industrialized countries is beginning to expand.

▪ The business was growing rapidly and beginning to expand abroad.

expansion /ɪkˈspænʃ ə n/ [uncountable noun]

▪ the continued expansion of the Chinese economy

economic expansion

▪ a period of rapid economic expansion

▷ build up /ˌbɪld ˈʌp/ [intransitive phrasal verb]

if the number or amount of something builds up, it increases gradually so that there is much more than there was before :

▪ Traffic is building up on the southern exit of the motorway.

▪ A huge backlog of work had built up during my absence.

2. when numbers or amounts are increasing

▷ increasing /ɪnˈkriːsɪŋ/ [adjective only before noun]

▪ An increasing number of Australians see the link to the British monarchy as irrelevant.

▪ An increasing percentage of American property owners are taking their houses off the market.

ever-increasing

increasing all the time

▪ Ever-increasing numbers of science teachers are leaving their jobs to work in industry.

▪ Ever-increasing amounts of land were brought under cultivation.

▷ rising /ˈraɪzɪŋ/ [adjective only before noun]

increasing - use this about prices, numbers etc or about the level or standard of something :

▪ Rising fuel costs have forced many airlines to put up the price of air tickets.

▪ Le Shuttle competes with an ever-rising number of ferries for the busy Channel crossing.

▪ the rising rate of smoking among teenagers

when problems increase and become more serious

▪ We are entering a period of slow economic growth and rising unemployment.

▷ growing /ˈgrəʊɪŋ/ [adjective only before noun]

gradually increasing :

▪ An economic miracle is needed if Bangladesh is to feed its huge and growing population.

▪ Zena is one of a small but rapidly growing number of motorists choosing to buy a car over the Web.

▪ Garbage collection is a growth industry, thanks to growing volumes of garbage -- up 2-3% a year.

▷ mounting /ˈmaʊntɪŋ/ [adjective only before noun]

a mounting price or number is increasing and causes problems :

▪ He struggled on in the face of mounting debts,

▪ What are the reasons for mounting unemployment in the Arab countries?

▪ Another year of mounting losses proved too much for Pepperdine’s basketball coach.

▷ escalating /ˈeskəleɪtɪŋ/ [adjective only before noun]

escalating prices, problems etc are increasing quickly and making a situation worse than it was before :

▪ Investors in the Sports Stadium project are worried by escalating construction costs.

▪ rapidly escalating house prices

▪ Twenty percent of the workforce are experiencing escalating stress levels.

3. to increase a lot

▷ multiply /ˈmʌltɪplaɪ, ˈmʌltəplaɪ/ [intransitive verb]

to increase greatly in number :

▪ Since they started borrowing money, their problems have multiplied.

▪ The number of settlements multiplied enormously.

▪ The insects multiply rapidly during hot, dry summers.

▷ double /ˈdʌb ə l/ [intransitive verb]

to become twice as much or twice as many :

▪ Welfare spending will nearly double by the year 2002.

double to

▪ The number of female bank managers doubled from 104 to 208.

double in size/value

▪ In those thirty years, San Francisco doubled in size.

▷ triple also treble British /ˈtrɪp ə l, ˈtreb ə l/ [intransitive verb]

to become three times as much or three times as many :

▪ The number of senior citizens living in poverty has trebled in the last three years.

▪ The party’s majority in Congress tripled as a result of the election.

triple in size/value

▪ The shares have trebled in value since trading resumed on Wednesday.

▷ quadruple /ˈkwɒdrʊp ə l, kwɒˈdruː-ǁkwɑːˈdruː-/ [intransitive verb]

to become four times as much or four times as many :

▪ In ten years, homicide rates tripled and suicide rates quadrupled.

quadruple to

▪ By the end of 1973, the price of oil had quadrupled to $11.65 a gallon.

▷ proliferate /prəˈlɪfəreɪt/ [intransitive verb] formal

if something proliferates, it increases very quickly, and becomes more common :

▪ The HIV virus is able to proliferate at an astonishing rate.

▪ Child pornography is proliferating due to the increased use of computer chat rooms.

proliferation /prəˌlɪfəˈreɪʃ ə n/ [uncountable noun]

proliferate of

▪ the rapid proliferation of on-line catalogues

▷ snowball /ˈsnəʊbɔːl/ [intransitive verb]

to increase in number, at first slowly and then faster and faster :

▪ Unemployment snowballed at the beginning of the 1980s.

▪ Things hadn’t exactly been going our way, but after the first defeat, everything sort of snowballed.

4. to increase quickly or suddenly

▷ shoot up /ˌʃuːt ˈʌp/ [intransitive phrasal verb]

if something such as a price, number, or temperature shoots up, it increases quickly and suddenly :

▪ As long as mortgage rates do not shoot up, property should remain a good investment.

shoot up to

▪ US exports to Mexico have already shot up to 130% since 1985.

▪ A year ago the magazine had a circulation of 150,000, but since then that figure has shot up to an astonishing 2 million.

▷ soar /sɔːʳ/ [intransitive verb]

to increase quickly to a high level :

soar into

▪ Temperatures soared into the nineties.

▪ The cost of a business Website can soar into millions of dollars.

soar to

▪ Last year, the drugs haul soared to 130,00 tablets.

▪ The death toll soars to 376 in Chicago from last week’s heat wave.

soar by 40%/£300/1 million etc

▪ In the first year of peace, Lebanon’s GDP soared by almost 40%.

soaring [adjective only before noun]

▪ a plan to tackle soaring crime rates

▪ Industrial growth has brought power cuts, clogged roads and soaring property prices.

▷ rocket also skyrocket /ˈrɒkɪt, ˈrɒkətǁˈrɑː-, ˈskaɪ!rɒkə̇tǁ-ˌrɑː-/ [intransitive verb]

if costs, prices, profits, sales etc rocket, they increase very quickly to a very high level :

▪ Interest rates have skyrocketed as credit has become scarce.

▪ Why has the dollar rocketed against the yen in particular?

rocket to

▪ Gold prices rocketed to their highest level since 1983.

rocketing/skyrocketing [adjective only before noun]

▪ the skyrocketing cost of land

▷ go through the roof /ˌgəʊ θruː ðə ˈruːf/ [verb phrase] informal

if prices go through the roof, they increase to an extremely high level :

▪ Following news of increased profits, the company’s share price went through the roof.

▪ Sales of Ray-Ban sunglasses went through the roof after Tom Cruise wore them in ‘Risky Business’.

▷ spiral /ˈspaɪ ə rəl/ [intransitive verb]

if a debt or the cost of something spirals, it increases very quickly and uncontrollably :

▪ Since the project started five years ago, costs have spiralled.

▪ With inflation spiralling out of control, the country was close to economic collapse.

spiralling [adjective only before noun]

▪ The government has asked the World Bank for help with its spiralling national debt.

▷ take off /ˌteɪk ˈɒf/ [intransitive phrasal verb]

if numbers or prices take off, they begin to increase quickly after a long period when they did not increase :

▪ With the introduction of user-friendly software, home computer sales suddenly took off.

▪ Internet shopping will really take off when people become convinced that it is secure.

5. to increase by gradually adding more

▷ accumulate /əˈkjuːmjɑleɪt/ [intransitive verb]

to increase gradually in number or amount until there is a large quantity in one place :

▪ An army of 1650 plows and 2000 workers will be out this afternoon as snow begins to accumulate.

▪ Sand had accumulated at the mouth of the river and formed a bank which boats could not pass.

▪ Over a period of years, the drug will accumulate in the body and damage the nervous system.

▷ build up /ˌbɪld ˈʌp/ [intransitive phrasal verb]

if something such as a substance or a force builds up somewhere, it increases gradually as more of it is added or more of it appears :

▪ Deposits of lime will stick to the surface and build up over the years.

▪ As the temperature rises, the pressure builds up inside the chamber.

▪ Fertilizers can contain salts that build up in the soil.

▷ pile up /ˌpaɪl ˈʌp/ [intransitive phrasal verb] informal

if something such as work or debt piles up, it increases as more is added to it until there is a large quantity of it :

▪ The work just keeps on piling up and makes me want to scream.

▪ As her debts piled up, she came close to a nervous breakdown.

▷ mount up /ˌmaʊnt ˈʌp/ [intransitive phrasal verb]

if prices, costs, debts etc mount up, they increase as more is added over a period of time, and cause more and more problems :

▪ She finally had to go back to work to pay the bills that were mounting up.

▪ The national debt has mounted up, growing to $1 trillion since Clinton took office.

▷ collect /kəˈlekt/ [intransitive verb]

if something such as a liquid collects somewhere, it goes to that place and the amount there gradually increases :

▪ As the tide came in, water collected to form small pools among the rocks.

collect on/inside/behind etc

▪ Rain collecting at the tip of the rock has formed huge icicles.

▪ If condensation collects on the inside of the window, wipe it off with a clean cloth.

▷ gather /ˈgæðəʳ/ [intransitive verb]

if a substance such as dirt, snow etc gathers somewhere, more and more of it appears in that place and stays there :

▪ There were gaps between the floorboards where dust and bits of grime had gathered.

gather on/around/behind etc

▪ Snow gathered thickly in the folds of their clothes.

▪ Harry was afraid. Sweat gathered on his upper lip.

6. to make a number or amount increase

▷ increase /ɪnˈkriːs/ [transitive verb]

▪ High alcohol consumption increases the risk of liver disease.

▪ The Clean Air Act would increase the cost of electric power in the Midwest.

▪ The party aims to increase the number of women elected to Congress.

▪ We reduced the size of the magazine because we didn’t want to increase the price.

increase something to

▪ The company has increased its workforce to 1,500 employees

increase something by 20%/$400/1 million etc

▪ a program to increase output by 14%

▷ raise /reɪz/ [transitive verb]

if someone raises raises a tax, price, temperature etc, they increase it :

▪ The president should take the necessary steps of raising taxes and cutting public spending.

▪ All the major airlines have raised their fares.

raise something to $300/40C/200 etc

▪ The retirement age has been raised to 65 for both men and women.

▷ put up /ˌpʊt ˈʌp/ [transitive phrasal verb] informal

if someone puts up the cost or price of something, they increase it :

put up something

▪ They’ve put up the price of petrol again.

put something up

▪ A solicitor can advise whether the landlord has a right to put the rent up.

▪ This used to be quite a cheap restaurant but they’ve put their prices up since the last time I came here.

▷ jack up /ˌdʒæk ˈʌp/ [transitive phrasal verb] informal

to increase prices or amounts by a large amount, especially when this seems unreasonable :

jack something up

▪ I guess they must jack the price up in the summer, then mark it down in the winter.

jack up something

▪ a proposal that would have jacked up taxi fares by as much as 30%

▷ push up/drive up/force up /ˌpʊʃ ˈʌp, ˌdraɪv ˈʌp, ˌfɔːʳs ˈʌp/ [transitive phrasal verb]

to make something increase - use this about things you would prefer to keep low, such as costs and prices :

push/drive/force up something

▪ An expansion of the weapons research program is sure to drive up defence costs.

▪ In recent years, increased demand has forced up the price of copper on world markets.

push/force/drive something up

▪ Office vacancy rates have reached a low, pushing rents up sharply for office and industrial space.

▷ boost /buːst/ [transitive verb]

to increase something such as production, sales, or wages because they are not as high as you want them to be :

▪ The plan was meant to boost agricultural production.

▪ The multi-million dollar ad campaign has failed to boost sales.

▪ Greater consumer access to the Internet has boosted electronic retailing.

▷ double/triple/quadruple /ˈdʌb ə l, ˈtrɪp ə l, ˈkwɒdrʊp ə l, kwɒˈdruː-ǁkwɑːˈdruː-/ [transitive verb]

to increase a number or amount by two, three, or four times :

▪ The company has quadrupled Sonia’s salary in just three years in recognition of her achievements.

▪ The government doubled the sales tax on cigarettes from 20% to 40%.

▷ maximize also maximise British /ˈmæksɪmaɪz, ˈmæksəmaɪz/ [transitive verb]

to make something such as profit, power, or productivity increase to the highest level that you can achieve :

▪ The bank’s function is to maximize profits, and that requires some risk-taking.

▪ To maximise power output, solar panels are placed on the highest part of the building.

7. to increase by adding another number or amount

▷ add to /ˈæd tuː/ [verb phrase]

if a change to something, especially an improvement, adds to its cost, price, value, or amount, it causes the cost, price, value, or amount to increase :

▪ Gardens that have been substantially improved will add to the value of your property.

▪ New high-quality printing technology added $1,000 to the retail price of the computer.

▪ The diversion added another hour to our journey.

▷ augment /ɔːgˈment/ [transitive verb] formal

to increase and improve the strength, value, effectiveness etc of something :

▪ The cream contains ingredients that augment the skin’s natural healing processes.

▪ We pay performance bonuses that augment your annual salary.

▷ put 10p/20p etc on /ˌpʊt ten ˈpiː ɒn/ [transitive phrasal verb] British

if something such as a new tax or increased production cost puts 10p/20p etc on the price of something, it causes the price to increase by that much :

▪ The new tax puts 20 pence on the price of a pack of cigarettes.

▪ The increased cost of imported wheat will put 5p on the price of a loaf of bread.

8. to increase the amount of something you do

▷ increase /ɪnˈkriːs/ [transitive verb]

▪ We must increase public awareness of the health risks associated with sunbathing.

▪ The government is increasing pressure on drug-traffickers.

▪ The imposition of martial law will only increase violence and repression.

▷ step up /ˌstep ˈʌp/ [transitive phrasal verb]

to increase your efforts or activities, especially in order to improve a situation that is not as good as you want it to be :

step up something

▪ The US government stepped up its war against terrorism.

▪ The police presence is to be stepped up at this year’s carnival.

step it up

make a greater effort to achieve something

▪ It’s good we were able to step it up at the end of the game.

▷ expand /ɪkˈspænd/ [transitive verb]

to increase something so that it covers a wider area or range of activities :

▪ Dr. Martin also helped expand housing opportunities for people with AIDs.

▪ The agency hopes to expand coverage of new musical talent on its Internet site.

expand something to something

▪ They fund programs that expand health benefits to wider segments of the community.

▷ broaden /ˈbrɔːdn/ [transitive verb]

to increase something such as knowledge, experience, or your range of activities :

▪ At Missouri, Wright broadened his experience by working on a local newspaper.

▪ The library is installing new technology to broaden access to its huge store of information.

▪ The company has broadened its product range in the US.

▷ extend /ɪkˈstend/ [transitive verb]

to increase something such as your influence or control over something :

▪ The US government is still trying to extend its influence over European politics.

▪ We can extend our effectiveness enormously by the use of up-to-date technology.

▪ Time Warner recently extended its reach to the world’s biggest music business.

▷ intensify /ɪnˈtensɪfaɪ, ɪnˈtensəfaɪ/ [transitive verb]

to increase activities or efforts, especially against an enemy or someone who opposes you :

▪ In the run-up to the election, terrorists have intensified their activities.

▪ China is intensifying efforts to fight crime.

▪ We have no choice but to intensify the strike campaign.

▪ The latest merger will intensify competition among defense companies.

intensification /ɪnˌtensɪfɪˈkeɪʃ ə n, ɪnˌtensəfɪˈkeɪʃ ə n/ [uncountable noun]

intensify of

▪ The statement signals an intensification of the bloody feud between opposing guerrilla factions.

9. to turn or push a button to increase something

▷ turn up /ˌtɜːʳn ˈʌp/ [transitive phrasal verb]

turn up the radio/television/heat etc

to increase the amount of sound coming out of a radio, television etc or the amount of heat coming from a heater, by turning or pushing a button :

turn something up

▪ Hey, turn this up for a second, I like this song.

▪ Would you mind turning the heat up?

turn up something

▪ We hooked up my stereo and turned up the volume as loud as it would go.

▪ Is the sound turned up too loud for you?

10. an increase in a number or amount

▷ increase /ˈɪŋkriːs/ [countable noun]

increase in

▪ There will be no increase in student enrolments this year.

▪ an increase in consumer spending

increase of 10/20/50% etc

▪ There was an increase of about 17% in the urban population between 1910 and 1920.

a 10%/12% etc increase

▪ Improved airline service led to an 18.7% increase in tourists to Africa last year.

▷ growth /grəʊθ/ [uncountable noun]

an increase in amount, quantity, population etc :

economic/population etc growth

▪ There is a great deal of uncertainty about the world’s population growth.

▪ favorable signs of economic growth

▪ DIY outlets reported sales growth of 1.8%.

growth in

▪ The US portion of the Internet is experiencing rapid growth in the number of networks connected to it.

growth of

▪ the astonishing growth of on-line trading

▷ rise /raɪz/ [singular noun] especially British

an increase in numbers, level, population, or temperature :

rise in

▪ The committee will investigate the rise in the number of hospital admissions.

▪ This year a disappointingly small rise in pass rates.

rise of

▪ Global warming is responsible for a rise of 7 degrees Celsius in just over 50 years.

▷ build-up /ˈbɪld ʌp/ [singular noun]

a gradual increase in something harmful or bad :

▪ This could signal the biggest military build-up since the Cold War.

build-up of

▪ The changing world climate is probably due to a build-up of harmful gases such as carbon dioxide.

▷ upturn /ˈʌptɜːʳn/ [singular noun]

an increase in the amount of trade done by a country, company etc after a period of time when it was not increasing :

▪ Only in the last two years have we seen signs of an economic upturn.

upturn in

▪ The upturn in aviation traffic will help lift demand for commercial aircraft.

11. an increase in an amount of money

▷ increase /ˈɪŋkriːs/ [countable noun]

tax/fare/price etc increase

▪ There could be fare increases of up to 10%.

▪ A spokesman for the airline said that much of the cost increase was caused by tightening of security.

increase in

▪ a 12% increase in phone charges

a 50%/30% etc increase

▪ a 50% increase in the city’s health budget

▷ gain /geɪn/ [countable noun]

an increase in an amount of money, that brings an advantage to someone :

▪ The share price ended the year with a 60% gain.

gain in

▪ The morning’s gains in US stocks fell sharply.

gain of

▪ The Nikkei average experienced a gain of 140.19 points on Friday.

▷ rise /raɪz/ [countable noun] especially British

an increase in costs, prices, taxes, or rent :

rent/price/tax etc rise

▪ Tenants face a 60% rent rise.

▪ The prime minister is considering substantial tax rises.

rise in

▪ The pension will increase in line with the rise in prices.

▷ rise British /raise American /raɪz, reɪz/ [countable noun usually singular]

an increase in the amount of money you are paid for your work :

▪ He received loud applause when he told the crowd that low wage-earners deserve a raise.

▪ IT specialists rang up an average pay rise of 312% last year.

give somebody a rise

▪ The State Government simply can’t afford to give all teachers a raise.

▷ hike /haɪk/ [countable noun]

a sudden increase in something such as prices, wages, or taxes :

▪ Big gasoline hikes are expected in April.

tax/price/wage etc hike

▪ Pilots will get an 11% pay hike over four years.

▪ Opponents argued the sales-tax hike was unfair.

hike in

▪ Trade Unions are proposing a hike in the minimum wage.

▷ increment /ˈɪŋkrɪmənt, ˈɪŋkrəmənt/ [countable noun] formal

an amount that is added regularly to someone’s pay every year, every six months etc :

▪ The contract includes a salary increment every six months.

▪ Automatic pay increments based on length of service will be abolished.

12. a sudden large increase

▷ leap /liːp/ [countable noun]

a sudden large increase in the amount or number of something -- use this especially about business costs, prices, activities etc :

▪ Coffee and orange juice prices made their biggest leaps on Friday.

leap in

▪ Borrowers have been warned to expect another leap in bank interest rates.

▪ Gold shares gained following a leap in the price of gold.

by leaps and bounds

use this to emphasize how quickly something is increasing

▪ I can see the Internet business growing by leaps and bounds.

leap [intransitive verb]

▪ Shares leapt about 5% to $32.375.

▷ explosion /ɪkˈspləʊʒ ə n/ [countable noun usually singular]

a very sudden and very large increase in population, in an activity, or in the numbers of something :

▪ We live in the century of population explosion, with the world’s population doubling at least every 25 years.

▪ These people are full of hope. An economic explosion is underway in their country.

explosion of

▪ The company cannot meet demand, and has seen an explosion of customer complaints.

▪ No-one can say where the amazing explosion of digital services will take us.

explosion in

▪ Officials insist the case is unrelated to the explosion in homicide rates among teenagers.

▷ boom /buːm/ [singular noun]

a sudden large increase in something such as trade, economic success, or a particular area of activity :

▪ The IT market is growing, thanks to the Internet boom.

boom in

▪ the boom in cellular phone ownership

▪ a record-breaking boom in tourism

economic boom

a period of economic and financial success

▪ Canada enjoyed a real economic boom in the postwar years.

property/productivity spending etc boom

▪ Motorola is one of the leaders in the global technology boom.

▪ The impact of the property boom was first felt in the financial markets.

baby boom

a period of time when many more babies are born

▪ A more pressing problem is Mexico’s dramatic baby boom.

boom [intransitive verb]

▪ Cellnet has 800,000 subscribers, and business is booming.

▪ Tourism boomed here in the late 1990s.

▷ surge /sɜːʳdʒ/ [countable noun]

a sudden increase in something such as demand, profit, interest etc :

surge in

▪ Last year there was a surge in the company’s profits to $122m.

▪ a 31% surge in divorce rates

▪ Stores are expecting a surge in demand as Christmas approaches.

▪ Her books enjoyed a huge surge in popularity in the mid-1980s.

surge of

▪ The unexpected surge of voters to the polls has surprised even opposition parties.

surge [transitive verb]

▪ Orders from customers in the Far East have surged.

surge to

▪ By 2006, the liver transplant figure is likely to surge to at least 4.3 million.

13. when a feeling becomes stronger

▷ grow /grəʊ/ [intransitive verb]

if a feeling grows it gradually becomes stronger :

▪ Her confidence grew, and soon she was able to go out driving on her own.

▪ The more I studied, the more my anxiety about the exam grew.

▪ Fears are growing for the safety of the missing children.

▷ increase /ɪnˈkriːs/ [intransitive verb]

to become stronger - use this especially about a feeling that a lot of people have :

▪ The excitement is increasing inside the stadium as we wait for the teams to come out onto the field.

▪ The President’s popularity has increased enormously in recent months.

increased [adjective only before noun]

▪ Since going on the program, her 4-year-old son has shown an increased willingness to eat properly.

▷ intensify /ɪnˈtensɪfaɪ, ɪnˈtensəfaɪ/ [intransitive verb] written

if a bad or unpleasant feeling such as fear or pain intensifies, it increases :

▪ Their panic intensified, as they heard the gunshots getting closer.

▪ The dizzy feeling in her head intensified, and she knew she was about to black out.

▪ Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, racism and bigotry intensified.

▷ build up /ˌbɪld ˈʌp/ [intransitive phrasal verb]

if a bad feeling such as anger builds up, it gradually increases until you feel you have to do something :

▪ The pressure built up over the year, and eventually I had to leave my job.

▪ I could feel the anger building up inside me.

▷ deepen /ˈdiːpən/ [intransitive verb]

if a strong feeling such as love, respect, or sadness deepens, it increases gradually :

▪ With every new day, her despair only seemed to deepen.

▪ As she watched the nuns working among the sick and dying, her respect for them deepened.

deepening [adjective]

▪ Liza’s deepening depression put a strain on the whole family.

▷ mount /maʊnt/ [intransitive verb]

if a feeling, especially of worry or activity mounts, it becomes stronger :

▪ As the dispute continues, tension is mounting on the border between the two countries.

▪ Anxiety about job security mounted at the plant after profits fell by 68%.

14. to make feelings become stronger

▷ increase /ɪnˈkriːs/ [transitive verb]

▪ Vague explanations of her illness only increased her fear and anxiety.

▪ Some analysts say the new law could increase expectations of an economic recovery.

▪ The cut in interest rates will help to increase confidence in the housing market.

▷ strengthen /ˈstreŋθ ə n, ˈstrenθ ə n/ [transitive verb]

to make something such as someone’s determination or belief increase so that it is even stronger than it was before :

▪ The quarrel only served to strengthen my resolve to start out on my own.

▪ A poor harvest in 1842, and the imminence of winter, strengthened their determination.

▪ Woolley felt certain that he had made an important discovery and his conviction was strengthened as more evidence came to light.

▷ heighten /ˈhaɪtn/ [transitive verb]

if something heightens knowledge, fears, the effect of something etc, it makes it increase so that it is felt more strongly :

▪ Publicity has heightened awareness of the threats to the environment.

▪ The divorce heightened speculation about a possible second marriage.

▪ Fears of an invasion were heightened by long-range bomb attacks.

▷ add to /ˈæd tuː/ [transitive phrasal verb]

to increase a feeling or problem, so that it becomes worse :

▪ I didn’t want to add to the confusion, so I stayed quiet.

▪ Adding to the burden are the continuing costs of German reunification.

▪ Natural catastrophes like droughts have also added to the problems of the continent.

add insult to injury

informal to make a bad situation that you have caused much worse than it was before

▪ She runs off with another man, and to add insult to injury demands huge sums in alimony.

▷ raise /reɪz/ [transitive verb]

if something raises people’s hopes, consciousness etc, it makes them more hopeful, conscious etc :

▪ It’s the first school in Scotland to become self-governing, and has raised deep concerns in the local community.

▪ The human rights campaign has raised public awareness of the torture going on in the country.

▷ fuel /fjʊəlǁˈfjuːəl/ [transitive verb]

to make feelings of doubt, worry, hope etc grow stronger :

▪ The President’s absence from the May Day parade has fuelled speculation that he is seriously ill.

▪ There are growing fears for the safety of the kidnap victims -- fears that have been fuelled by rumours of new terrorist threats.

15. becoming stronger

▷ increasing /ɪnˈkriːsɪŋ/ [adjective only before noun]

▪ She clenched her teeth against the steadily increasing pain.

▪ The growth of extremist right-wing groups is an increasing concern.

▪ Whatever you think of the fashion for ‘boy bands’, there’s no denying their increasing popularity.

▷ growing /ˈgrəʊɪŋ/ [adjective only before noun]

gradually increasing to a high level :

▪ He spoke of his daughter’s growing alienation from the Church.

▪ There is growing opposition to the new tax proposals.

▪ The incident added to growing concern about the extent of terrorist influence in the region.

▷ mounting /ˈmaʊntɪŋ/ [adjective only before noun]

increasing to such a high level that something is likely to happen or be done :

▪ There are reports of mounting violence in the village tribes.

▪ The decision has been the cause of mounting tension in the capital.

▪ Amid mounting excitement, an official came forward to announce the result of the election.

16. an increase in the strength of feelings

▷ increase /ˈɪŋkriːs/ [countable noun]

increase in

▪ There has been a marked increase in opposition to military action.

▪ What is the reason for the increase in gang hostility in small towns?

▷ build-up /ˈbɪld ʌp/ [countable noun usually singular]

a gradual increase in a particular feeling, especially a negative one :

build-up of

▪ The players always feel a huge build-up of tension and nerves before an important game.

▪ Deal with any problems when necessary, so preventing a build-up of strain.

▷ surge /sɜːʳdʒ/ [singular noun]

a sudden and large increase in a feeling :

surge of

▪ Sophie felt a surge of anger, but with an effort she suppressed it.

▪ A surge of elation rushed through his body as he read the note for the third time.

▪ There has been a tremendous surge of interest in Chinese medicine.

Longman Activator English vocab.      Английский словарь Longman активатор .