Definition

1. Noun:

   • A recognizable kind or brand: "Make" can refer to the specific type or brand of a manufactured product, especially vehicles.
   • The act of mixing cards haphazardly: In card games, "make" refers to the act of shuffling or mixing the deck.

2. Verb:

   • To create, construct, or produce: The most common meaning, involving bringing something into existence by combining materials or through effort.
   • To cause to be or become: To bring about a specific state, condition, or result.
   • To perform or carry out: To execute an action or activity.
   • To constitute or amount to: To be equivalent to or form the essence of something.
   • To force or compel: To cause someone to do something.
   • To earn or acquire: To gain money or achieve a position.
   • To arrive at or reach: To succeed in getting to a destination or achieving a goal.
   • To estimate or calculate: To form an opinion or judgment about something.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • What is the make of your car? (It asks for the brand, e.g., Toyota, Ford).
  • After the make, the dealer dealt the cards. (Refers to the shuffling of the deck).

• Verb:

  • She will make a cake for the party. (To create/produce).
  • The news made him very happy. (To cause to become).
  • He made a promise to his friend. (To perform/carry out an action).
  • Two and two make four. (To constitute/amount to).
  • His mother made him clean his room. (To force/compel).
  • She makes a good salary at her new job. (To earn).
  • We have to hurry if we want to make the train. (To arrive at/reach).
  • What do you make of this situation? (To estimate/calculate/judge).

Advanced Usage

• "make do": to manage with what is available, even if it is not ideal.

  • We didn't have enough chairs, so we had to make do with sitting on the floor.

• "make believe": to pretend.

  • The children like to make believe they are pirates.

• "make way": to clear a path or move aside.

  • The crowd made way for the ambulance.

Variants and Related Words

• Maker (n): A person or thing that makes something; often used as "the Maker" to refer to God.

  • He is the maker of these beautiful chairs.

• Making (n): The process of producing or creating something; (plural) the qualities needed for something.

  • The making of the film took two years.
  • She has the makings of a great leader.

• Remake (v/n): To make again or differently; a new version of something.

  • They decided to remake the classic movie.

Synonyms

• Create: To bring something new into existence.
• Produce: To make or manufacture from components or raw materials.
• Construct: To build by putting parts together.
• Cause: To be the reason something happens.
• Force: To make someone do something against their will.
• Earn: To receive money as payment for work.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Make up:

  • To invent (a story, excuse): He made up a funny story.
  • To reconcile after an argument: They fought but made up an hour later.
  • To constitute: Women make up 50% of the workforce.

• Make out:

  • To see, hear, or understand with difficulty: I can't make out what he's saying.
  • To manage or fare: How did you make out on your exam?
  • (Informal) To kiss passionately: They were making out in the car.

• Make for:

  • To go toward: As it started to rain, we made for the nearest shelter.
  • To contribute to: A positive attitude makes for a happier workplace.

• Make off:

  • To leave quickly, especially to escape: The thieves made off with the jewels.

Related Idioms

• Make ends meet: To have just enough money to pay for your basic needs.

  • It's hard to make ends meet with such a low salary.

• Make a mountain out of a molehill: To make a small problem seem much bigger and more important than it really is.

  • You're just making a mountain out of a molehill; it's a minor mistake.

• Make or break: Something that will lead to either great success or total failure.

  • This deal is make or break for the company.

• Make the grade: To reach the required standard; to succeed.

  • The trainee worked hard and finally made the grade.

• Make a clean breast of it: To confess fully to something.

  • He decided to make a clean breast of it and tell the truth.

Noun

1. the act of mixing cards haphazardly
2. a recognizable kind
   • there's a new brand of hero in the movies now
   • what make of car is that?

Verb

1. eliminate urine
   • Again, the cat had made on the expensive rug
2. behave in a certain way
   • make merry
3. develop into
   • He will make a splendid father!
4. favor the development of
   • Practice makes the winner
5. cause to be enjoyable or pleasurable
   • make my day
6. calculate as being
   • I make the height about 100 feet
7. consider as being
   • It wasn't the problem some people made it
8. represent fictitiously, as in a play, or pretend to be or act like
   • She makes like an actress
9. assure the success of
   • A good review by this critic will make your play!
10. induce to have sex
    • Harry finally seduced Sally
    • Did you score last night?
    • Harry made Sally
11. prepare for eating by applying heat
    • Cook me dinner, please
    • can you make me an omelette?
    • fix breakfast for the guests, please
12. gather and light the materials for
    • make a fire
13. reach in time
    • We barely made the plane
14. proceed along a path
    • work one's way through the crowd
    • make one's way into the forest
15. appear to begin an activity
    • He made to speak but said nothing in the end
    • She made as if to say hello to us
16. constitute the essence of
    • Clothes make the man
17. amount to
    • This salary increase makes no difference to my standard of living
18. add up to
    • four and four make eight
19. be suitable for
    • Wood makes good furniture
20. undergo fabrication or creation
    • This wool makes into a nice sweater
21. have a bowel movement
    • The dog had made in the flower beds
22. head into a specified direction
    • The escaped convict took to the hills
    • We made for the mountains
23. put in order or neaten
    • make the bed
    • make up a room
24. organize or be responsible for
    • hold a reception
    • have, throw, or make a party
    • give a course
25. form by assembling individuals or constituents
    • Make a quorum
26. carry out or commit
    • make a mistake
    • commit a faux-pas
27. institute, enact, or establish
    • make laws
28. reach a destination, either real or abstract
    • We hit Detroit by noon
    • The water reached the doorstep
    • We barely made it to the finish line
    • I have to hit the MAC machine before the weekend starts
29. achieve a point or goal
    • Nicklaus had a 70
    • The Brazilian team got 4 goals
    • She made 29 points that day
30. charge with a function; charge to be
    • She was named Head of the Committee
    • She was made president of the club
31. act in a certain way so as to acquire
    • make friends
    • make enemies
32. change from one form into another
    • make water into wine
    • make lead into gold
    • make clay into bricks
33. make by combining materials and parts
    • this little pig made his house out of straw
    • Some eccentric constructed an electric brassiere warmer
34. perform or carry out
    • make a decision
    • make a move
    • make advances
    • make a phone call
35. make by shaping or bringing together constituents
    • make a dress
    • make a cake
    • make a wall of stones
36. be or be capable of being changed or made into
    • He makes a great host
    • He will make a fine father
37. reach a goal, e.g., "make the first team"
    • We made it!
    • She may not make the grade
38. to compose or represent:"This wall forms the background of the stage setting"
    • The branches made a roof
    • This makes a fine introduction
39. create or design, often in a certain way
    • Do my room in blue
    • I did this piece in wood to express my love for the forest
40. earn on some commercial or business transaction; earn as salary or wages
    • How much do you make a month in your new job?
    • She earns a lot in her new job
    • this merger brought in lots of money
    • He clears $5,000 each month
41. create by artistic means
    • create a poem
    • Schoenberg created twelve-tone music
    • Picasso created Cubism
    • Auden made verses
42. compel or make somebody or something to act in a certain way
    • People cannot be made to integrate just by passing a law!
    • Heat makes you sweat
43. make, formulate, or derive in the mind
    • I draw a line here
    • draw a conclusion
    • draw parallels
    • make an estimate
    • What do you make of his remarks?
44. create or manufacture a man-made product
    • We produce more cars than we can sell
    • The company has been making toys for two centuries
45. give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally
    • cause a commotion
    • make a stir
    • cause an accident
46. cause to do; cause to act in a specified manner
    • The ads induced me to buy a VCR
    • My children finally got me to buy a computer
    • My wife made me buy a new sofa
47. make or cause to be or to become
    • make a mess in one's office
    • create a furor
48. give certain properties to something
    • get someone mad
    • She made us look silly
    • He made a fool of himself at the meeting
    • Don't make this into a big deal
    • This invention will make you a millionaire
    • Make yourself clear
49. engage in
    • make love, not war
    • make an effort
    • do research
    • do nothing
    • make revolution