Main Entry:

¹make

Pronunciation:

\ˈmāk\

Function:

verb

Inflected Form(s):

made \ˈmād\ ; mak·ing

Etymology:

Middle English, from Old English macian; akin to Old High German mahhōn to prepare, make, Greek magēnai to be kneaded, Old Church Slavic mazati to anoint, smear

Date:

before 12th century

transitive verb1 aobsolete : behave, act b: to begin or seem to begin (an action) <made to go>2 a: to cause to happen to or be experienced by someone <made trouble for us> b: to cause to exist, occur, or appear : create <make a disturbance> c: to favor the growth or occurrence of <haste makes waste> d: to fit, intend, or destine by or as if by creating <was made to be an actor>3 a: to bring into being by forming, shaping, or altering material : fashion <make a dress> b: compose, write <make verses> c: to lay out and construct <make a road>4: to frame or formulate in the mind <make plans>5: to put together from components : constitute <houses made of stone>6 a: to compute or estimate to be b: to form and hold in the mind <make no doubt of it>7 a: to assemble and set alight the materials for (a fire) b: to set in order <make beds> c: prepare, fix <make dinner> d: to shuffle (a deck of cards) in preparation for dealing8: to prepare (hay) by cutting, drying, and storing9 a: to cause to be or become <made them happy> <makes it possible> b: appoint <made him bishop>10 a: enact, establish <make laws> b: to execute in an appropriate manner <make a will> c: set, name <make a price>11 achiefly dialect : shut <the doors are made against you — Shakespeare> b: to cause (an electric circuit) to be completed12 a: to conclude as to the nature or meaning of something <what do you make of this development?> b: to regard as being <not the fool some make him>13 a: to carry out (an action indicated or implied by the object) <make war> <make a speech> <make a detour> b: to perform with a bodily movement <make a sweeping gesture>14 a: to produce as a result of action, effort, or behavior with respect to something <make a mess of the job> <tried to make a thorough job of it> barchaic : to turn into another language by translation15: to cause to act in a certain way : compel <make her give it back>16: to cause or assure the success or prosperity of <can either make you or break you>17 a: to amount to in significance <makes a great difference> b: to form the essential being of <clothes make the man> c: to form by an assembling of individuals <make a quorum> d: to count as <that makes the third time you've said it>18 a: to be or be capable of being changed or fashioned into <rags make the best paper> b: to develop into <she will make a fine judge> c: form 6b19 a: reach, attain <made port before the storm> —often used with it<you'll never make it that far> b: to gain the rank of <make major> c: to gain a place on or in <make the team> <the story made the papers> d: to succeed in providing or obtaining <make bail>20: to gain (as money) by working, trading, or dealing <make a living>21 a: to act so as to earn or acquire <makes friends easily> <makes poor grades> b: to score in a game or sport <make a field goal> <make a birdie> c: to convert (a split) into a spare in bowling d: to succeed in holing <make a putt>22 a: to fulfill (a contract) in a card game b: to win a trick with (a card)23 a: to include in a route or itinerary <make New York on the return trip> —often used with it<make it to the party> b: catch 6b <made the bus just in time>24: to persuade to consent to sexual intercourse : seduce25: to provide the most enjoyable or satisfying experience of <meeting the star of the show really made our day>intransitive verb1archaic : to compose poetry2 a: behave, act b: to begin or seem to begin a certain action <made as though to hand it to me> c: to act so as to be or to seem to be <make merry> dslang : to play a part —usually used with like3: set out, head <made after the fox> <made straight for home>4: to increase in height or size <the tide is making now>5: to reach or extend in a certain direction6: to have considerable effect <courtesy makes for safer driving>7: to undergo manufacture or processing <the silk makes up beautifully>

— make a face or make faces

: to distort one's features : grimace

— make a mountain out of a molehill

: to treat a trifling matter as of great importance

— make away with

1: to carry off : steal2: kill

— make believe

: pretend, feign

— make bold

: venture, dare

— make book

: to accept bets at calculated odds on all the entrants in a race or contest

— make common cause

: to unite to achieve a shared goal

— make do

: to get along or manage with the means at hand

— make ends meet

: to make one's means adequate to one's needs

— make eyes

: ogle

— make friends with

: to establish a friendship or friendly relations with

— make fun of

: to make an object of amusement or laughter : ridicule, mock

— make good

1or make good on : to make valid or complete: as a: to make up for (a deficiency) b: indemnify <make good the loss> c: to carry out successfully <made good their escape> <made good on his promise> d: prove <made good a charge> 2: to prove to be capable ; also : succeed

— make hay

: to make use of a situation or circumstance especially in order to gain an advantage

— make head

1: to make progress especially against resistance2: to rise in armed revolt

— make it

1 a: to be successful <trying to make it in the big time as a fashion photographer — Joe Kane> b: to be satisfactory or pleasing <if it isn't danceable, it doesn't make it for me — Judy Hyman>2: to have sexual intercourse3: survive, live <half the cubs won't make it through their first year>

— make light of

: to treat as of little account

— make love

1: woo, court2 a: neck, pet b: to engage in sexual intercourse

— make much of

1: to treat as of importance2: to treat with obvious affection or special consideration

— make nice

: to be deliberately and often insincerely polite and agreeable <must make nice to politicians they cannot stand — Ken Auletta>

— make no bones

: to be straightforward, unhesitating, or sure <makes no bones about the seriousness of the matter>

— make one's mark

: to achieve success or fame

— make public

: disclose

— make sail

1: to raise or spread sail2: to set out on a voyage

— make shift

: to manage with difficulty

— make sport of

: ridicule, mock

— make the grade

: to measure up to some standard : be successful

— make the most of

: to show or use to the best advantage

— make the scene

: to be present at or participate in a usually specified activity or event

— make time

1: to travel fast2: to gain time3: to make progress toward winning favor <trying to make time with the waitress>

— make tracks

1: to proceed at a walk or run2: to go in a hurry : run away, flee

— make use of

: to put to use : employ

— make water

1of a boat : leak2: urinate

— make waves

: to create a stir or disturbance

— make way

1: to give room for passing, entering, or occupying2: to make progress

— make with

slang : produce, perform —usually used with the