1. (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.

2. (v. t.) To increase the importance of; to augment the esteem or respect in which one is held.

3. (v. t.) To praise highly; to land; to extol.

4. (v. t.) To exaggerate; as, to magnify a loss or a difficulty.

5. (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.

6. (v. i.) To have effect; to be of importance or significance.

accelerate add to adulate agent provocateur aggrandize aggravate amplify annoy apotheose apotheosize augment ballyhoo beatify beef up belaud bepraise bless bless the Lord bloat blow up boast of boost brag about broaden build build up bulk bulk out burlesque canonize caricature carry too far celebrate color complicate concentrate condense consolidate crescendo crown cry up deepen deify deteriorate develop dignify dilate distend distinguish double doxologize dramatize draw the longbow elevate embellish embitter emblazon enhance enlarge ennoble enshrine enthrone erect eulogize exacerbate exaggerate exalt exasperate expand extend extol flatter fudge glamorize glorify glorify the Lord go to extremes heat up heighten hero-worship hike hike up honor hop up hot up huff hymn hyperbolize idolize immortalize increase inflate intensify irritate jazz up key up laud lay it on lionize make acute make complex make legendary make much of make worse maximize mount multiply overcharge overdo overdraw overemphasize overestimate overpaint overpraise overreach overreact oversell overspeak overstate overstress pad panegyrize pay tribute pile it on porter aux nues praise praise God provoke puff puff up pump pump up raise ramify rarefy redouble reinforce rouse saint salute sanctify set up sharpen sing praises soup up sour step up strengthen stretch stretch the truth sublime sufflate swell talk big talk in superlatives throne tout travesty triple trumpet up uplift uprear vise whet widen worsen