[mod.i.fy] vb -fied ; -fy.ing [ME modifien, fr. MF modifier, fr. L modificare to measure, moderate, fr. modus] vt (14c) 1: to make less extreme: moderate
2. a: to limit or restrict the meaning of esp. in a grammatical construction b: to change (a vowel) by umlaut 3 a: to make minor changes in b: to make basic or fundamental changes in often to give a new orientation to or to serve a new end "the wing of a bird is an arm modified for flying" ~ vi: to undergo change syn see change -- mod.i.fi.abil.i.ty n -- mod.i.fi.able adj