multiply
To increase the number of something by a specific factor. / To calculate the product of two or more numbers. / To increase rapidly in number or quantity.
Transitive VerbIntransitive Verb
This word evokes a sense of exponential growth rather than simple addition. It suggests a geometric explosion of quantity, often associated with biological reproduction or financial accumulation, where the growth feeds back into itself to accelerate the process.
In a mathematical context, it is a precise operation of scaling. In a social or environmental context, it often carries a slightly overwhelming or uncontrollable connotation, such as when pests or rumors multiply, implying a speed that is difficult to manage or stop.
Meanings
Phrasal Verbs
multiply out
to perform a multiplication operation, especially when expanding algebraic brackets
You need to multiply out the parentheses before simplifying the equation.