inflate
verbCA, US, UK /ɪnˈfleɪt/ · AU /ɪnˈflæɪt/
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.1782, John Scott of Amwell, An Essay on Painting:
2
To enlarge by filling with air (or a gas).
- The balloon will inflate if you blow into it.
3
Figuratively 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, […]1859, Alfred Tennyson, “Vivien”, in Idylls of the King, London: Edward Moxon & Co., […], →OCLC, page 137:
4
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences To decompress (data) that was previously deflated.
5
Figuratively 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.
- Antonyms
- deflate
- Derived terms
- disinflate, hyperinflate, inflatability, inflatable, inflate-a-date, inflated, inflater, inflatingly, inflatino, inflaton, misinflate, overinflate, reinflate, shrinkflate, underinflate
- Related terms
- inflation