extend definition

English

Etymology

From Middle English extenden, from Anglo-Norman extendre, estendre, from Latin extendō (“I stretch out”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛkˈstɛnd/

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• Rhymes: -ɛnd
• Hyphenation: ex‧tend

Verb

extend (third-person singular simple present extends, present participle extending, simple past and past participle extended)

1. (intransitive) To increase in extent.
2. (intransitive) To possess a certain extent; to cover an amount of space.

   The desert extended for miles in all directions.

3. (transitive) To cause to increase in extent.
4. (transitive) To cause to last for a longer period of time.
5. (transitive) To straighten (a limb).
6. (transitive) To bestow; to offer; to impart; to apply.

   to extend sympathy to the suffering

   to extend credit to a valued customer

7. To increase in quantity by weakening or adulterating additions.
   • 1894, Fred Grundy, “Management of Fall Pigs”, in The American Agriculturist Volume 54:

     The skim milk and middlings should be mixed in a tub or barrel, and, if the supply of milk is short , it may be extended with water.

   • 1897, Alonzo Lewis, James Robinson Newhall, History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts (page 155)

     […] the exalted morality of those virtuous brethren in the trade who, with consciences as weak as their own "extended" liquors, sought to convince him that to reduce the drink was a mercy to the poor deluded toper.

8. (UK, law) To value, as lands taken by a writ of extent in satisfaction of a debt; to assign by writ of extent.
9. (object-oriented programming) Of a class: to be an extension or subtype of, or to be based on, a prototype or a more abstract class.

   The classes Person and Dog extend the class Animal.

   Synonym: inherit

10. (intransitive, US, military) To reenlist for a further period.
    • 1993, The Leatherneck (volume 76, page xxxvi)

      Two years later, back to amtracs, this time at Camp Schwab, Okinawa, and I liked it so much I extended.

Synonyms

• enlarge
• expand
• increase
• lengthen
• stretch
• widen

Related terms

Translations

Noun

extend

1. Misspelling of extent.

Anagrams

• dentex