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.