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Vinony

inflate

verb

  1. cause to become larger by pumping
  2. cause to expand, stagnant growth accompanied by inflation
L13528 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /ɪnˈfleɪt/ / /ɪnˈflæɪt/ / /ənˈflæɪt/

verb

Etymology: From Latin īnflātus, perfect passive participle of īnflō, see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Doublet of inblow.

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

    “You inflate a balloon by blowing air into it.”

    “When passion's tumults in the bosom rise, / Inflate the features, and enrage the eyes.”

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

    “The balloon will inflate if you blow into it.”

  3. To swell; to puff up.

    “to inflate somebody with pride or vanity”

    “[I]f they find / Some stain or blemish in a name of note, / Not grieving that their greatest are so small, / Inflate themselves with some insane delight, / And judge all nature from her feet of clay, […]”

  4. To decompress (data) that was previously deflated.
  5. To represent something as being more important, better, or worse than it actually is; to exaggerate.

    “Israel routinely claims that the Gaza Ministry of Health, which is run by Hamas, has a tendency to inflate the number of Palestinian casualties in the Gaza Strip.”