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 ]

v. i. To become widely opened, spread apart, dilated, distended, or enlarged; as, flowers expand in the spring; metals expand by heat; the heart expands with joy. Dryden. [ 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 ]

a. That expands, or may be expanded; extending; spreading; enlarging. [ 1913 Webster ]

Expanding bit,
Expanding drill (Mech.), a bit or drill made adjustable for holes of various sizes; one which can be expanded in diameter while boring. --
Expanding pulley (Mach.), a pulley so made, as in sections, that its diameter can be increased or diminished. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From L. expansus, p. p. of expandere. See Expand. ] That which is expanded or spread out; a wide extent of space or body; especially, the arch of the sky. “The green expanse.” Savage. [ 1913 Webster ]

Lights . . . high in the expanse of heaven. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

The smooth expanse of crystal lakes. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To expand. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

That lies expansed unto the eyes of all. Sir. T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The capacity of being expanded; as, the expansibility of air. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. expansible. ] Capable of being expanded or spread out widely. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bodies are not expansible in proportion to their weight. Grew.

-- Ex*pan"si*ble*ness ,n. -Ex*pan"si*bly , adv. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Expansible. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ether and alcohol are more expansile than water. Brande & C. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. expansio: cf. F. expansion. ] 1. The act of expanding or spreading out; the condition of being expanded; dilation; enlargement. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which is expanded; expanse; extend surface; as, the expansion of a sheet or of a lake; the expansion was formed of metal. [ 1913 Webster ]

The starred expansion of the skies. Beattie. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Space through which anything is expanded; also, pure space. [ 1913 Webster ]

Lost in expansion, void and infinite. Blackmore. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Economics & Commmerce) an increase in the production of goods and services over time, and in the volume of business transactions, generally associated with an increase in employment and an increase in the money supply. Opposite of contraction.
Syn. -- economic expansion. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

5. (Math.) The developed result of an indicated operation; as, the expansion of (a + b)2 is a2 + 2ab + b2. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Steam Engine) The operation of steam in a cylinder after its communication with the boiler has been cut off, by which it continues to exert pressure upon the moving piston. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. (Nav. Arch.) The enlargement of the ship mathematically from a model or drawing to the full or building size, in the process of construction. Ham. Nav. Encyc. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Expansion is also used adjectively, as in expansion joint, expansion gear, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. an enlarged or extended version of something, such as a writing or discourse; as, the journal article is an expansion of the lecture she gave. [ PJC ]

9. an expansion joint. See below. [ Colloq. or jargon ] [ PJC ]

Expansion curve, a curve the coördinates of which show the relation between the pressure and volume of expanding gas or vapor; esp. (Steam engine), that part of an indicator diagram which shows the declining pressure of the steam as it expands in the cylinder. --
Expansion gear (Steam Engine). a cut-off gear. See Illust. of Link motion. --
Automatic expansion gear or
Automatic cut-off, one that is regulated by the governor, and varies the supply of steam to the engine with the demand for power. --
Fixed expansion gear, or
Fixed cut-off, one that always operates at the same fixed point of the stroke. --
Expansion joint, or
Expansion coupling (Mech. & Engin.), a yielding joint or coupling for so uniting parts of a machine or structure that expansion, as by heat, is prevented from causing injurious strains; as: (a) A slide or set of rollers, at the end of bridge truss, to support it but allow end play. (b) A telescopic joint in a steam pipe, to permit one part of the pipe to slide within the other. (c) A clamp for holding a locomotive frame to the boiler while allowing lengthwise motion. (d) a strip of compressible material placed at intervals between blocks of poured concrete, as in roads or sidewalks. --
Expansion valve (Steam Engine), a cut-off valve, to shut off steam from the cylinder before the end of each stroke. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. expansif. ] 1. Having a capacity or tendency to expand or dilate; diffusive; of much expanse; wide-extending; as, the expansive force of heat; the expansive quality of air. [ wns=1 ] [ 1913 Webster ]

A more expansive and generous compassion. Eustace. [ 1913 Webster ]

His forehead was broad and expansive. Prescott.

2. causing expansion; as, the expansive force of heat. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

3. of much expanse; wide-extending; as, an expansive view of the mountains. [ PJC ]

4. friendly, open, and unrestrained in conversation or discourse; -- of people; as, wine made the guest expansive. [ wns=4 ]
Syn. -- effusive, talkative. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

5. characterized by exaggerated feelings of euphoria and delusions of grandeur. [ wns=3 ] [ WordNet 1.5 ]

-- Ex*pan"sive*ly, adv. -Ex*pan"sive*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. a quality characterized by magnificence of scale; as, the expansiveness of their extravagant lifestyle was soon curtailed. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. a friendly open trait of a talkative person.
Syn. -- effusiveness. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. the fractional change in length or area or volume per unit change in temperature at a given constant pressure.
Syn. -- coefficient of expansion. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. Expanse. [ Obs. ] “Night's rich expansure.” [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Incapable of expansion, enlargement, or extension. Tyndall. [ 1913 Webster ]