Expand Expanded Expanding Business ɪkˈspænd Vocabulary Reading Number

• metals expand when they are heated.
• student numbers are expanding rapidly.
• a child's vocabulary expands through reading.
• the waist expands to fit all sizes.

expand

1. to become greater in size, number or importance; to make something greater in size, number or importance
• opposite contract
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/contract_2
• Metals expand when they are heated.
• Student numbers are expanding rapidly.
• A child's vocabulary expands through reading.
• The waist expands to fit all sizes.
• In breathing the chest muscles expand the rib cage and allow air to be sucked into the lungs.
• The new system expanded the role of family doctors.
• There are no plans to expand the local airport.
2. if a business expands or is expanded, new branches are opened, it makes more money, etc.
• an expanding economy (= with more businesses starting and growing)
• We've expanded the business by opening two more stores.
3. to talk more; to add details to what you are saying
• I repeated the question and waited for her to expand.

Extra Examples

• American publishers attempted to expand their markets overseas.
• Both companies are aggressively expanding their business models in Europe.
• He has plans to expand beyond computer consulting to include engineer training.
• I needed to expand my possibilities of making a living.
• Internet companies expanding abroad
• Several brands have successfully expanded their market presence.
• The business has expanded greatly over the last year.
• The company is looking to expand its operations overseas.
• The number of managers has expanded from 700 to 1 300.
• The store has helped expand the British cheese market by encouraging small dairy farmers.
• The town has expanded into a city.
• A child’s vocabulary expands through reading.
• It’s a country with an expanding economy.
• We’ve expanded the business by opening two more stores.

Verb Forms

• present simple I / you / we / they expand
• he / she / it expands
• past simple expanded
• past participle expanded
• -ing form expanding

Word Origin

• late Middle English: from Latin expandere ‘to spread out’, from ex- ‘out’ + pandere ‘to spread’.