make

pronunciation

How to pronounce make in British English: UK [meɪk]word uk audio image

How to pronounce make in American English: US [meɪk] word us audio image

  • Noun:
    a recognizable kind
    the act of mixing cards haphazardly
  • Verb:
    engage in
    give certain properties to something
    make or cause to be or to become
    cause to do; cause to act in a specified manner
    give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally
    create or manufacture a man-made product
    make, formulate, or derive in the mind
    compel or make somebody or something to act in a certain way
    create by artistic means
    earn on some commercial or business transaction; earn as salary or wages
    create or design, often in a certain way
    to compose or represent:"This wall forms the background of the stage setting"
    reach a goal, e.g., "make the first team"
    be or be capable of being changed or made into
    make by shaping or bringing together constituents
    perform or carry out
    make by combining materials and parts
    change from one form into another
    act in a certain way so as to acquire
    charge with a function; charge to be
    achieve a point or goal
    reach a destination, either real or abstract
    institute, enact, or establish
    carry out or commit
    add up to
    form by assembling individuals or constituents
    organize or be responsible for
    prepare for eating by applying heat
    put in order or neaten
    head into a specified direction
    have a bowel movement
    undergo fabrication or creation
    be suitable for
    amount to
    constitute the essence of
    appear to begin an activity
    proceed along a path
    reach in time
    gather and light the materials for
    induce to have sex
    assure the success of
    represent fictitiously, as in a play, or pretend to be or act like
    consider as being
    calculate as being
    cause to be enjoyable or pleasurable
    favor the development of
    develop into
    behave in a certain way
    eliminate urine

Word Origin

make
make: [OE] Make probably goes back ultimately to an Indo-European base *mag- denoting ‘kneading’ (also the source of Greek mágma ‘salve made by kneading’, from which English gets magma [15]). A prehistoric Germanic descendant was *mako- (source of English match ‘go together’). From this was derived the West Germanic verb *makōjan, which over the centuries differentiated into German machen, Dutch maken, and English make. Make was not a particularly common verb in Old English (gewyrcan, ancestor of modern English work, was the most usual way of expressing the notion ‘make’), but in the Middle English period its use proliferated.=> magma, match
make (v.)
Old English macian "to make, form, construct, do; prepare, arrange, cause; behave, fare, transform," from West Germanic *makon "to fashion, fit" (cognates: Old Saxon makon, Old Frisian makia "to build, make," Middle Dutch and Dutch maken, Old High German mahhon "to construct, make," German machen "to make"), from PIE *mag- "to knead, mix; to fashion, fit" (see macerate). If so, sense evolution perhaps is via prehistoric houses built of mud. Gradually replaced the main Old English word, gewyrcan (see work (v.)). Meaning "to arrive at" (a place), first attested 1620s, originally was nautical. Formerly used in many places where specific verbs now are used, such as to make Latin (c. 1500) "to write Latin compositions." This broader usage survives in some phrases, such as to make water "to urinate," to make a book "arrange a series of bets" (1828), make hay "to turn over mown grass to expose it to sun." Make the grade is 1912, perhaps from the notion of railway engines going up an incline. Read the valuable suggestions in Dr. C.V. Mosby's book -- be prepared to surmount obstacles before you encounter them -- equipped with the power to "make the grade" in life's climb. [advertisement for "Making the Grade," December 1916] But the phrase also was in use in a schoolwork context at the time. Make do "manage with what is available" is attested from 1867. Make time "go fast" is 1849; make tracks in this sense is from 1834. To make a federal case out of (something) popularized in 1959 movie "Anatomy of a Murder;" to make an offer (one) can't refuse is from Mario Puzo's 1969 novel "The Godfather." To make (one's) day is from 1909; menacing make my day is from 1971, popularized by Clint Eastwood in film "Sudden Impact" (1983). Related: Made; making.
make (n.)
"match, mate, companion" (now archaic or dialectal), from Old English gemaca "mate, equal; one of a pair, comrade; consort, husband, wife," from Proto-Germanic *gamakon-, related to Old English gemæcc "well-matched, suitable," macian "to make" (see make (v.)). Meaning "manner in which something is made, design, construction" is from c. 1300. Phrase on the make "intent on profit or advancement" is from 1869.

Example

1. How do you make your life more antifragile ?
2. [ Girls ] need more opportunities to create , design , to make something . "
3. That will make the company more global and more than double sales . "
4. The investments we make are conditional commitments .
5. Bankruptcy will only make things worse .

more: >How to Use "make" with Example Sentences