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# expand

«expand» in Mova's school dictionary: **to become bigger, or to make something bigger** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

verb (expand, expands, expanded, expanding)

### meaning for a pupil

1) To expand is to become bigger, or to make something bigger. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expand/#m1)

2) To expand something like a business or town is to make it grow and cover more. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expand/#m2)

3) To expand on an idea is to say or write more about it. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expand/#m3)

4) In maths, to expand is to write something out in a longer form. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expand/#m4)

### sense in the lessons

In science, most materials expand when heated and contract (get smaller) when cooled — this is why bridges have gaps and why railway tracks have joints; water is unusual, expanding when it freezes, which can burst pipes. A balloon expands when you blow air into it. In maths, «expanded form» writes a number as the sum of its place values: 352 = 300 + 50 + 2. In writing, the teacher may ask you to expand your answer. Phrases: «expand on», «expanded form», «expand and contract».

### examples

- Metals expand when they get hot. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expand/#x1)
- Water expands when it freezes, so a full bottle in the freezer can crack. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expand/#x2)
- The balloon expanded as I blew into it. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expand/#x3)
- Write 4,206 in expanded form: 4,000 + 200 + 6. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expand/#x4)
- Please expand on your idea with an example. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expand/#x5)
- The town expanded into the fields. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expand/#x6)
- Your lungs expand when you breathe in. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expand/#x7)
- The bakery expanded and opened a second shop. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expand/#x8)
- "Travelling expands the mind very much," said the beetle. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expand/#x9)

### note

Regular verb: expanded. Noun: expansion. Opposite: contract, shrink. In maths, expanded form adds up to the same number; it is only written differently. Do not confuse with «expend» (to use up).

### In the corpora

- [In a lava lamp, wax heated at the bottom expands, becomes less dense and rises, then cools and sinks.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/chemistry/7-oil-and-water/12/)
- [Cakes rise without yeast, using baking powder or whisked eggs to trap gas that expands in the oven heat.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/chemistry/21-bread-rising-yeast-at-work/18/)
- [Thunder is the sound of air suddenly heated by lightning and expanding very fast.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/15-weather-signs/10/)
- [Liquid expands when it freezes, so a can left in the freezer can burst.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/108-laundry-freezer-and-electricity/9/)
- [Water expands when it freezes.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/294-kitchen-freezer-plugs-and-balconies/4/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «expand» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/expand/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.