INFLATE

balloon, inflate, billow

(verb) become inflated; “The sails ballooned”

inflate, blow up

(verb) fill with gas or air; “inflate a balloons”

inflate, blow up, expand, amplify

(verb) exaggerate or make bigger; “The charges were inflated”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Verb

inflate (third-person singular simple present inflates, present participle inflating, simple past and past participle inflated)

(transitive) To enlarge an object by pushing air (or a gas) into it; to raise or expand abnormally

(intransitive) To enlarge by filling with air (or a gas).

(figurative) To swell; to puff up.

(transitive, computing) To decompress (data) that was previously deflated.

Antonyms

• deflate

Source: Wiktionary

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In*flate", p. a. Etym: [L. inflatus, p.p. of inflare to inflate; pref. in- in + flare to blow. See Blow to puff wind.]

Definition: Blown in; inflated. Chaucer.

In*flate", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Inflated; p. pr. & vb. n. Inflating.]

1. To swell or distend with air or gas; to dilate; to expand; to enlarge; as, to inflate a bladder; to inflate the lungs. When passion's tumults in the bosom rise, Inflate the features, and enrage the eyes. J. Scott of Amwell.

2. Fig.: To swell; to puff up; to elate; as, to inflate one with pride or vanity. Inflate themselves with some insane delight. Tennyson.

3. To cause to become unduly expanded or increased; as, to inflate the currency.

In*flate", v. i.

Definition: To expand; to fill; to distend.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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