Aggrandise
to widen in scope; increase in size or intensity; enlarge; extend.
to make great or greater in power, wealth, rank, or honor.
to make (something) appear greater.
Historical Examples
It is easier to ruin a kingdom and aggrandise one’s own pride and prejudices than to set up a greengrocer’s stall.
Table-Talk William Hazlitt
To aggrandise his own name, he had covered Europe with blood.
Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 62, No. 382, October 1847 Various
Full of haughtiness and ambition, Nicholas sought to aggrandise his own family as well as the Papal power.
The Two First Centuries of Florentine History Pasquale Villari
The Empress, too, forgets her own consequence, in eagerness to aggrandise her favourite.
The Pastor’s Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4 Jane Porter
It extorts exorbitant revenues from this city to aggrandise other portions of the State.
Satan’s Invisible World Displayed or, Despairing Democracy W. T. Stead
But these use them for the benefit of others and not to aggrandise themselves.
A Son of Perdition Fergus Hume
This species of feudality is kept up to aggrandise the corporations at the ruin of towns; and the effect is visible.
The Writings of Thomas Paine, Volume II Thomas Paine
To aggrandise himself or to aggrandise his house never entered into his thoughts.
The Expositor’s Bible: The Book of Joshua William Garden Blaikie
He is not painting pictures to aggrandise himself, he is only lovingly recording what he knows, feels, or hopes.
Giotto Harry Quilter
Lewis could not but dread whatever tended to aggrandise a state governed by William.
The History of England from the Accession of James II. Thomas Babington Macaulay
verb (transitive)
to increase the power, wealth, prestige, scope, etc, of
to cause (something) to seem greater; magnify; exaggerate
verb
to enhance the wealth of
Word Origin
Latin a- ‘from’ + grandir ‘to increase’
Usage Note
transitive
v.
1630s, “to make larger, increase,” from French agrandiss-, present participle stem of agrandir “to augment” (16c.), ultimately from Latin ad “to” (see ad-) + grandire “to make great,” from grandis (see grand (adj.)). The double -g- spelling in English is by analogy with Latin words in ad-. Related: Aggrandized; aggrandizing.
Read Also:
- Aggrandize
to widen in scope; increase in size or intensity; enlarge; extend. to make great or greater in power, wealth, rank, or honor. to make (something) appear greater. Historical Examples He cares for nothing save to aggrandize his children, by fair means or foul, and this is his sole desire. The Life of Cesare Borgia Raphael […]
- Aggrandisement
an act or instance of , or increasing in size, or intensity: aggrandizement of mercantile trade in the early colonies. the act of making something appear greater than is actually warranted by the facts: Some saw it as ego aggrandizement. expansion of power, wealth, rank, or honor: The department was used for the aggrandizement of […]
- Aggrandizement
an act or instance of , or increasing in size, or intensity: aggrandizement of mercantile trade in the early colonies. the act of making something appear greater than is actually warranted by the facts: Some saw it as ego aggrandizement. expansion of power, wealth, rank, or honor: The department was used for the aggrandizement of […]
- Aggravate
to make worse or more severe; intensify, as anything evil, disorderly, or troublesome: to aggravate a grievance; to aggravate an illness. to annoy; irritate; exasperate: His questions aggravate her. to cause to become irritated or inflamed: The child’s constant scratching aggravated the rash. Contemporary Examples This, in turn, serves to amplify and aggravate differences of […]
- Aggravated
annoyed; irritated: I get so aggravated when I get this much junk mail. Law. characterized by some feature defined by law that enhances the crime, as the intention of the criminal or the special vulnerability of the victim: aggravated assault; aggravated rape. to make worse or more severe; intensify, as anything evil, disorderly, or troublesome: […]