expand

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Expanded; p. pr. & vb. n. Expanding. ] [ L. expandere, expansum; ex out + pandere to spread out, to throw open; perh. akin to E. patent. Cf. Spawn. ] 1. To lay open by extending; to open wide; to spread out; to diffuse; as, a flower expands its leaves. [ 1913 Webster ]

Then with expanded wings he steers his flight. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To cause the particles or parts of to spread themselves or stand apart, thus increasing bulk without addition of substance; to make to occupy more space; to dilate; to distend; to extend every way; to enlarge; -- opposed to contract; as, to expand the chest; heat expands all bodies; to expand the sphere of benevolence. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Math.) To state in enlarged form; to develop; as, to expand an equation. See Expansion, 5. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. able to expand or to be expanded.
Syn. -- expandible, expansible, expansile. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

adj. increased in extent or size or bulk or scope. Opposite of contracted. [ Narrower terms: blown-up, enlarged; dilated; distended, swollen; inflated ] [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. (Printnig) wider than usual for a particular height; -- of printers' type. Contrasted with condensed.
Syn. -- extended. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. Anything which causes expansion esp. (Mech.) a tool for stretching open or expanding a tube, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. same as expandable.
Syn. -- expandable, expansible. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]