lengthen

Everyday

1. To lengthen something means to make it longer: «lengthen a skirt», «lengthen a sentence». tree →
2. To lengthen means to become longer: «The days lengthen in spring». tree →

In the lessons

In science and geography lessons about seasons (days lengthen in spring, shorten in autumn); in writing lessons pupils lengthen sentences with adjectives and clauses; in maths it means increasing a length. Phrases: «lengthen the days», «lengthen a stride».

Examples

• The days lengthen after midwinter. tree →
• Mum lengthened my trousers because I grew. tree →
• Can you lengthen this sentence with an adjective? tree →
• The shadows lengthened as the sun went down. tree →
• Runners lengthen their stride to go faster. tree →
• The teacher lengthened break time because of the sunshine. tree →
• We lengthened the rope by tying two together. tree →
• The queue lengthened as more people came. tree →

Note

Regular verb. Made from length + en, like strengthen and widen. In maths, if a 10 cm line is lengthened by 3 cm, it becomes 13 cm long: «lengthen by» means add.

In Jewish tradition

In science and geography lessons about seasons (days lengthen in spring, shorten in autumn); in writing lessons pupils lengthen sentences with adjectives and clauses; in maths it means increasing a length. Phrases: «lengthen the days», «lengthen a stride».

Examples

• Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thy habitations, spare not; lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes. (Prophets ISA.54.2, JPS 1917) tree →
• And if thou wilt walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.' (Prophets 1KI.3.14, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Regular verb. Made from length + en, like strengthen and widen. In maths, if a 10 cm line is lengthened by 3 cm, it becomes 13 cm long: «lengthen by» means add.