multiply Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb combine by multiplication
    • multiply 10 by 15
  2. verb combine or increase by multiplication
    manifold.
    • He managed to multiply his profits
  3. verb have young (animals) or reproduce (organisms)
    breed.
    • pandas rarely breed in captivity
    • These bacteria reproduce
  4. verb have offspring or produce more individuals of a given animal or plant
    reproduce; procreate.
    • The Bible tells people to procreate
  5. adverb in several ways; in a multiple manner
    • they were multiply checked for errors

WordNet

Mul"ti*ply transitive verb
Etymology
F. multiplier, L. multiplicare, fr. multiplex manifold. See Multitude, Complex.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Multiplied ; present participle & verbal noun Multiplying
Definitions
  1. To increase in number; to make more numerous; to add quantity to.
    Impunity will multiply motives to disobedience. Ames.
  2. (Math.) To add (any given number or quantity) to itself a certain number of times; to find the product of by multiplication; thus 7 multiplied by 8 produces the number 56; to multiply two numbers. See the Note under Multiplication.
  3. To increase (the amount of gold or silver) by the arts of alchemy. Obs.
Mul"ti*ply intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To become greater in number; to become numerous.
    When men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them. Gen. vi. 1.
  2. To increase in extent and influence; to spread.
    The word of God grew and multiplied. Acts xii. 24.
  3. To increase amount of gold or silver by the arts of alchemy. Obs. Chaucer.

Webster 1913