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 verb 1 a obsolete : 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 dealing
8 : to prepare (hay) by cutting, drying, and storing
9 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 a chiefly dialect : shut <the doors are made against you — Shakespeare> b : to cause (an electric circuit) to be completed
12 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> b archaic : to turn into another language by translation
15 : 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 6b
19 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 : seduce
25 : to provide the most enjoyable or satisfying experience of <meeting the star of the show really made our day>intransitive verb 1 archaic : to compose poetry
2 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> d slang : to play a part —usually used with like
3 : 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 direction
6 : 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 : steal
2 : 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 resistance
2 : 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 intercourse
3 : 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, court
2 a : neck, pet b : to engage in sexual intercourse

— make much of 1 : to treat as of importance
2 : 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 sail
2 : 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 fast
2 : to gain time
3 : to make progress toward winning favor <trying to make time with the waitress>

— make tracks 1 : to proceed at a walk or run
2 : to go in a hurry : run away, flee

— make use of : to put to use : employ

— make water 1 of a boat : leak
2 : urinate

— make waves : to create a stir or disturbance

— make way 1 : to give room for passing, entering, or occupying
2 : to make progress

— make with slang : produce, perform —usually used with the