Definition

1. Verb:
   • To increase greatly in number or quantity: To cause something to become more numerous or to grow in number.
   • To perform the mathematical operation of multiplication: To combine numbers by adding one number to itself a specified number of times.
   • (Biology) To reproduce or breed: To produce offspring or new individuals.

Usage

• As a verb meaning "to increase": Often used with objects or abstract concepts like profits, problems, or efforts. It implies a rapid or significant increase.
• As a verb meaning "to perform multiplication": Used in mathematical contexts. The structure is typically "multiply A by B."
• As a verb meaning "to reproduce": Used in biological contexts for animals, plants, or cells.

Examples

• To increase:
  • Failing to address the issue now will only multiply our difficulties later.
  • The company found a way to multiply its revenue within a year.
• Mathematical operation:
  • To find the area, multiply the length by the width.
  • If you multiply six by seven, you get forty-two.
• To reproduce:
  • Certain bacteria can multiply very quickly under ideal conditions.
  • The goal of the wildlife program is to help the endangered species multiply.

Advanced Usage

• "Multiply" as an adverb: In formal or technical writing, "multiply" can function as an adverb meaning "in several ways" or "in many respects." This usage is less common.
  • The data was multiply verified by independent teams.
  • He is a multiply talented artist, skilled in painting, sculpture, and music.

Variants and Related Words

• Multiplier (noun): A number by which another number is multiplied; a factor that increases something.
  • The tax cut acted as an economic multiplier.
• Multiplication (noun): The process or act of multiplying.
  • The multiplication of cells is a fundamental biological process.
  • Children learn basic multiplication in third grade.

Synonyms

• Increase: To become or make greater in number, size, or degree.
• Reproduce: To produce offspring or to make a copy of something.
• Propagate: To breed or cause to spread and increase in number.

Antonyms

• Divide: To separate into parts; in mathematics, to perform the operation inverse to multiplication.
• Decrease: To become or make smaller or fewer in size, amount, or intensity.

Related Phrases

• Multiply out (Mathematics): To expand an algebraic expression by multiplication.
  • The next step is to multiply out the terms in the brackets.
• Multiply by a factor of: To increase by a specific multiple.
  • Demand multiplied by a factor of ten during the holiday season.

Adverb

1. in several ways; in a multiple manner
   • they were multiply checked for errors

Verb

1. have offspring or produce more individuals of a given animal or plant
   • The Bible tells people to procreate
2. have young (animals) or reproduce (organisms)
   • pandas rarely breed in captivity
   • These bacteria reproduce
3. combine or increase by multiplication
   • He managed to multiply his profits
4. combine by multiplication
   • multiply 10 by 15