[in.crease] vb in.creased ; in.creas.ing [ME encresen, fr. MF encreistre, fr. L increscere, fr. in- + crescere to grow--more at crescent] vi (14c) 1: to become progressively greater (as in size, amount, number, or intensity)
2: to multiply by the production of young ~ vt 1: to make greater: augment
2. obs: enrich -- in.creas.able adj -- in.creas.er n syn increase, enlarge, augment, multiply mean to make or become greater. increase used intransitively implies progressive growth in size, amount, or intensity "his waistline increased with age"; used transitively it may imply simple not necessarily progressive addition "increased her landholdings". enlarge implies expansion or extension that makes greater in size or capacity "enlarged the kitchen". augment implies addition to what is already well grown or well developed "the inheritance augmented his fortune". multiply implies increase in number by natural generation or by indefinite repetition of a process "with each attempt the problems multiplied".
[2]in.crease n (14c) 1: the act or process of increasing: as a: addition or enlargement in size, extent, or quantity b obs: propagation
2: something that is added to an original stock or amount by augmentation or growth (as offspring, produce, profit)