Definition of make
made
play
\ˈmād\;
making
transitive verb
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
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
- I make it 23 miles to the border from here.
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
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
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
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 (something, such 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 (see 1trick 4) with (a card)
23 a
:to include in a route or itinerary
- make New York on the return trip
- 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
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
- make like a chicken
4
:to increase in height or size
- the tide is making now
5
:to reach or extend in a certain direction
- The forest makes up nearly to the snow line.
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
- He made a face when I mentioned her name.
—
make a mountain out of a molehill
:to treat a trifling matter as of great importance
—
make bold
—
make book
:to accept bets at calculated odds on all the entrants in a race or contest
- a bartender who made book on the side
—
make common cause
:to unite to achieve a shared goal
- attempted to make common cause with the radicals in areas they could agree on
—
make do
:to get along or manage with the means at hand
- will just have to make do with what we've got
—
make ends meet
:to make one's means adequate to one's needs
- did all they could do to make ends meet
—
make friends with
:to establish a friendship or friendly relations with
- made friends with his new neighbors
—
make fun of
—
make good
1
or
make good on
:to make valid or complete: such as
a
:to make up for (a deficiency)
- made good previous neglect of his child
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
- The play made good at the box office.
—
make hay
:to make use of a situation or circumstance especially in order to gain an advantage
- The candidate made hay of his opponent's scandalous behavior.
—
make head
1
:to make progress especially against resistance
- they made head against the wind
- —Charles Dickens
2
:to rise in armed revolt
- riflemen who … were called on to make head against a series of resolute efforts to drive them from Kentucky
- —Theodore Roosevelt
—
make it
—
make light of
:to treat as of little account
- all these problems are humorously described but never made light of
- —Susan Kenney
—
make much of
1
:to treat as of importance
- The drill sergeant made much of his toughness.
2
:to treat with obvious affection or special consideration
- she had evidently enjoyed being made much of in Youngstown
- —New Yorker
—
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
- made his mark as a literary critic
- —Eric Partridge
—
make sail
1
:to raise or spread sail
2
:to set out on a voyage
- The ship made sail at midnight.
—
make shift
:to manage with difficulty
- We didn't have much money, but we made shift.
—
make sport of
—
make the grade
:to measure up to some standard :be successful
- clever and energetic enough to make the grade in a good law firm
- —John Train
—
make the most of
:to show or use to the best advantage
- made the most of her talents
—
make the scene
:to be present at or participate in a usually specified activity or event
- small time poets just making the scene at readings or in little mags
- —B. Frazer
—
make time
1
:to travel fast
- made fast time
2
:to gain time
- have to make time to get to the bank before it closes
3
:to make progress toward winning favor
- trying to make time with the waitress
—
make tracks
—
make waves
:to create a stir or disturbance
- continues to make waves with his unique, highly opinionated approach
- —Suzanne Biallot
—
make way
1
:to give room for passing, entering, or occupying
- many of the old villas were being torn down to make way for high rises
- —William Murray
2
:to make progress
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