mag ‧ ni ‧ fy /ˈmæɡnəfaɪ, ˈmæɡnɪfaɪ/ BrE AmE verb ( past tense and past participle magnified , present participle magnifying , third person singular magnifies ) [transitive]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: French ; Origin: magnifier , from Latin magnificus ; ⇨ ↑ magnificent ]
1 . to make something seem bigger or louder, especially using special equipment:
At the Sheffield arena, the speakers were magnified ten times on a giant screen.
A public address system magnifies all the little noises and coughs.
2 . to make something seem more important than it really is SYN exaggerate :
The report tends to magnify the risks involved.
3 . formal to make something much worse or more serious:
The results of economic mismanagement were magnified by a series of natural disasters.