making Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun the act that results in something coming to be
    fashioning; devising.
    • the devising of plans
    • the fashioning of pots and pans
    • the making of measurements
    • it was already in the making
  2. noun an attribute that must be met or complied with and that fits a person for something
    qualification.
    • her qualifications for the job are excellent
    • one of the qualifications for admission is an academic degree
    • she has the makings of fine musician
  3. noun (usually plural) the components needed for making or doing something
    • the recipe listed all the makings for a chocolate cake
  4. verb engage in
    do; make.
    • make love, not war
    • make an effort
    • do research
    • do nothing
    • make revolution
  5. verb give certain properties to something
    make; get.
    • get someone mad
    • She made us look silly
    • He made a fool of himself at the meeting
    • Don't make this into a big deal
    • This invention will make you a millionaire
    • Make yourself clear
  6. verb make or cause to be or to become
    make; create.
    • make a mess in one's office
    • create a furor
  7. verb cause to do; cause to act in a specified manner
    get; make; induce; have; cause; stimulate.
    • The ads induced me to buy a VCR
    • My children finally got me to buy a computer
    • My wife made me buy a new sofa
  8. verb give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally
    do; make; cause.
    • cause a commotion
    • make a stir
    • cause an accident
  9. verb create or manufacture a man-made product
    make; produce; create.
    • We produce more cars than we can sell
    • The company has been making toys for two centuries
  10. verb make, formulate, or derive in the mind
    draw; make.
    • I draw a line here
    • draw a conclusion
    • draw parallels
    • make an estimate
    • What do you make of his remarks?
  11. verb compel or make somebody or something to act in a certain way
    make.
    • People cannot be made to integrate just by passing a law!
    • Heat makes you sweat
  12. verb create by artistic means
    create; make.
    • create a poem
    • Schoenberg created twelve-tone music
    • Picasso created Cubism
    • Auden made verses
  13. verb earn on some commercial or business transaction; earn as salary or wages
    earn; bring in; clear; pull in; take in; gain; realise; realize; make.
    • How much do you make a month in your new job?
    • She earns a lot in her new job
    • this merger brought in lots of money
    • He clears $5,000 each month
  14. verb create or design, often in a certain way
    do; make.
    • Do my room in blue
    • I did this piece in wood to express my love for the forest
  15. verb to compose or represent:"This wall forms the background of the stage setting"
    constitute; make; form.
    • The branches made a roof
    • This makes a fine introduction
  16. verb reach a goal, e.g., "make the first team"
    progress to; make; reach; get to.
    • We made it!
    • She may not make the grade
  17. verb be or be capable of being changed or made into
    make.
    • He makes a great host
    • He will make a fine father
  18. verb make by shaping or bringing together constituents
    make.
    • make a dress
    • make a cake
    • make a wall of stones
  19. verb perform or carry out
    make.
    • make a decision
    • make a move
    • make advances
    • make a phone call
  20. verb make by combining materials and parts
    make; build; construct.
    • this little pig made his house out of straw
    • Some eccentric constructed an electric brassiere warmer
  21. verb change from one form into another
    make.
    • make water into wine
    • make lead into gold
    • make clay into bricks
  22. verb act in a certain way so as to acquire
    make.
    • make friends
    • make enemies
  23. verb charge with a function; charge to be
    nominate; make; name.
    • She was named Head of the Committee
    • She was made president of the club
  24. verb achieve a point or goal
    make; have; get.
    • Nicklaus had a 70
    • The Brazilian team got 4 goals
    • She made 29 points that day
  25. verb reach a destination, either real or abstract
    hit; make; reach; attain; arrive at; gain.
    • We hit Detroit by noon
    • The water reached the doorstep
    • We barely made it to the finish line
    • I have to hit the MAC machine before the weekend starts
  26. verb institute, enact, or establish
    lay down; make; establish.
    • make laws
  27. verb carry out or commit
    make.
    • make a mistake
    • commit a faux-pas
  28. verb form by assembling individuals or constituents
    make.
    • Make a quorum
  29. verb organize or be responsible for
    make; hold; throw; have; give.
    • hold a reception
    • have, throw, or make a party
    • give a course
  30. verb put in order or neaten
    make up; make.
    • make the bed
    • make up a room
  31. verb head into a specified direction
    make; take.
    • The escaped convict took to the hills
    • We made for the mountains
  32. verb have a bowel movement
    take a shit; crap; defecate; make; stool; ca-ca; take a crap; shit.
    • The dog had made in the flower beds
  33. verb undergo fabrication or creation
    make.
    • This wool makes into a nice sweater
  34. verb be suitable for
    make.
    • Wood makes good furniture
  35. verb add up to
    make.
    • four and four make eight
  36. verb amount to
    make.
    • This salary increase makes no difference to my standard of living
  37. verb constitute the essence of
    make.
    • Clothes make the man
  38. verb appear to begin an activity
    make.
    • He made to speak but said nothing in the end
    • She made as if to say hello to us
  39. verb proceed along a path
    make; work.
    • work one's way through the crowd
    • make one's way into the forest
  40. verb reach in time
    make.
    • We barely made the plane
  41. verb gather and light the materials for
    make.
    • make a fire
  42. verb prepare for eating by applying heat
    cook; ready; fix; make; prepare.
    • Cook me dinner, please
    • can you make me an omelette?
    • fix breakfast for the guests, please
  43. verb induce to have sex
    make; score; seduce.
    • Harry finally seduced Sally
    • Did you score last night?
    • Harry made Sally
  44. verb assure the success of
    make.
    • A good review by this critic will make your play!
  45. verb represent fictitiously, as in a play, or pretend to be or act like
    make; pretend; make believe.
    • She makes like an actress
  46. verb consider as being
    make.
    • It wasn't the problem some people made it
  47. verb calculate as being
    make.
    • I make the height about 100 feet
  48. verb cause to be enjoyable or pleasurable
    make.
    • make my day
  49. verb favor the development of
    make.
    • Practice makes the winner
  50. verb develop into
    make.
    • He will make a splendid father!
  51. verb behave in a certain way
    make.
    • make merry
  52. verb eliminate urine
    wee-wee; spend a penny; wee; piddle; micturate; pee-pee; make; pass water; make water; relieve oneself; take a leak; pee; urinate; puddle; piss.
    • Again, the cat had made on the expensive rug

WordNet

Mak"ing noun
Definitions
  1. The act of one who makes; workmanship; fabrication; construction; as, this is cloth of your own making; the making of peace or war was in his power.
  2. Composition, or structure.
  3. a poem.Obs. Sir J. Davies.
  4. That which establishes or places in a desirable state or condition; the material of which something may be made; as, early misfortune was the making of him.
  5. External appearance; from. Obs. Shak.

Webster 1913