Definition of magnify

• v. t. - To make great, or greater; to increase the dimensions of; to amplify; to enlarge, either in fact or in appearance; as, the microscope magnifies the object by a thousand diameters.
• v. t. - To increase the importance of; to augment the esteem or respect in which one is held.
• v. t. - To praise highly; to land; to extol.
• v. t. - To exaggerate; as, to magnify a loss or a difficulty.
• v. i. - To have the power of causing objects to appear larger than they really are; to increase the apparent dimensions of objects; as, some lenses magnify but little.
• v. i. - To have effect; to be of importance or significance.