Word: Elongate
Part of Speech: Verb and Adjective
Definition:
As a Verb: To make something longer by pulling or stretching it.
As an Adjective: Describing something that is longer than it is wide, often appearing slender or stretched out.
Usage Instructions:
When using "elongate" as a verb, you can talk about physically stretching something, like fabric or a body part.
When using "elongate" as an adjective, you can describe objects or shapes that are long and narrow.
Examples:
As a Verb: "She decided to elongate the dress by adding some extra fabric at the bottom."
As an Adjective: "The fish had an elongate body, which helped it swim quickly."
Advanced Usage:
In scientific contexts, "elongate" is often used to describe the shape of certain organisms or structures, such as "elongate leaves" or "elongated cells," indicating that they have a long and narrow form.
Word Variants:
Elongation (noun): The process of making something longer; for instance, "The elongation of the rubber band was surprising."
Elongated (adjective): Similar to "elongate," but used to describe something that has already been made longer, e.g., "The elongated road stretched for miles."
Different Meanings:
In geometry, "elongate" can refer to shapes that are stretched along one axis, such as an elongated ellipse.
In biology, it may describe certain species with long, slender features.
Synonyms:
For the verb: Stretch, extend, lengthen.
For the adjective: Long, slender, narrow, stretched.
Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:
Summary:
"Elongate" is a versatile word that can be used in various contexts to describe the action of making something longer or to describe something that is inherently long and narrow.