Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

abate: become less in amount or intensity
abate: make less active or intense
abbreviate: shorten
abbreviate: reduce in scope while retaining essential elements
ablate: wear away through erosion or vaporization
ablate: remove an organ or bodily structure
abort: terminate before completion
abridge: lessen, diminish, or curtail
absent: go away or leave
absorb: cause to become one with
abuse: use wrongly or improperly or excessively
abuse: change the inherent purpose or function of something
accelerate: move faster
accelerate: cause to move faster
acclimate: get used to a certain climate
accommodate: make fit for, or change to suit a new purpose
accommodate: make (one thing) compatible with (another)
accrete: grow together (of plants and organs)
accrete: grow or become attached by accretion
accrue: grow by addition
acculturate: assimilate culturally
accumulate: collect or gather
accustom: make psychologically or physically used (to something)
acerbate: make sour or bitter
acetify: turn acidic
acetylate: introduce an acetyl group into (a chemical compound)
acetylate: receive substitution of an acetyl group
achromatise: remove color from
acquire: take on a certain form, attribute, or aspect
acquire: gain through experience
activate: make active or more active
activate: make (substances) radioactive
activate: make more adsorptive
activate: aerate (sewage) so as to favor the growth of organisms that decompose organic matter
acuminate: make sharp or acute; taper; make (something) come to a point
adapt: adapt or conform oneself to new or different conditions
add: make an addition (to); join or combine or unite with others; increase the quality, quantity, size or scope of
add on: make an addition
add to: have an increased effect
addle: become rotten
address: adjust and aim (a golf ball) at in preparation of hitting
adhere: follow through or carry out a plan without deviation
adjoin: attach or add
adjourn: close at the end of a session
adjust: make correspondent or conformable
adjust: place in a line or arrange so as to be parallel or straight
adjust: alter or regulate so as to achieve accuracy or conform to a standard
admix: mix or blend
adolesce: become adolescent; pass through adolescence
adopt: take into one's family
adulterate: corrupt, debase, or make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance; often by replacing valuable ingredients with inferior ones
advance: develop further
advance: increase or raise
advance: develop in a positive way
advance: rise in rate or price
aerate: impregnate, combine, or supply with oxygen
aerify: turn into gas
affect: have an effect upon
afflict: cause physical pain or suffering in
age: begin to seem older; get older
age: make older
age: grow old or older
Agenize: age or bleach flour with Agene (nitrogen trichloride)
aggravate: make worse
air: expose to warm or heated air, so as to dry
air: expose to cool or cold air so as to cool or freshen
air-slake: alter by exposure to air with conversion at least in part to a carbonate
alchemise: alter (elements) by alchemy
alcoholise: make alcoholic, as by fermenting
alcoholise: treat or infuse with alcohol
align: bring (components or parts) into proper or desirable coordination correlation
alkalify: turn basic and less acidic
alkalinise: make (a substance) alkaline
alkalinise: become alkaline
allegorise: make into an allegory
alleviate: make easier
alligator: crack and acquire the appearance of alligator hide, as from weathering or improper application; of paint and varnishes
alloy: make an alloy of
alloy: lower in value by increasing the base-metal content
alphabetise: arrange in alphabetical order
alter: cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
alter: become different in some particular way, without permanently losing one's or its former characteristics or essence
alter: insert words into texts, often falsifying it thereby
alternate: reverse (a direction, attitude, or course of action)
alternate: go back and forth; swing back and forth between two states or conditions
alternate: do something in turns
ameliorate: to make better
ameliorate: get better
amend: set straight or right
Americanize: become American in character
Americanize: make American in character
ammoniate: treat with ammonia
ammonify: treat with ammonia; cause to undergo ammonification
amplify: increase the volume of
amplify: exaggerate or make bigger
amplify: increase in size, volume or significance
anglicise: make English in appearance
angulate: make or become angular
animalise: become brutal or insensitive and unfeeling
animalise: make brutal, unfeeling, or inhuman
animate: give lifelike qualities to
animate: make lively
anneal: bring to a desired consistency, texture, or hardness by a process of gradually heating and cooling
annihilate: kill in large numbers
anodise: coat a metal with an oxide coat
antedate: establish something as being earlier relative to something else
anticipate: be a forerunner of or occur earlier than
antiquate: make obsolete or old-fashioned
antiquate: give an antique appearance to
appear: come into sight or view
appear: come into being or existence, or appear on the scene
appear: be issued or published
appreciate: increase the value of
appreciate: gain in value
arborise: branch out like trees
archaise: give an archaic appearance of character to
arise: result or issue
arterialise: change venous blood into arterial blood
ash: convert into ashes
ask for it: persist with actions or an attitude despite the probability that it will cause trouble
asphyxiate: be asphyxiated; die from lack of oxygen
assibilate: change into a sibilant
assimilate: become similar to one's environment
assimilate: make similar
assimilate: become similar in sound
asterisk: mark with an asterisk
astringe: become constricted or compressed
atomise: break up into small particles
attack: set to work upon; turn one's energies vigorously to a task
attemper: modify the temperature of
attenuate: become weaker, in strength, value, or magnitude
attenuate: weaken the consistency of (a chemical substance)
attune: adjust or accustom to; bring into harmony with
augment: grow or intensify
augment: enlarge or increase
aurify: turn golden
aurify: transform into gold
auspicate: commence in a manner calculated to bring good luck
automate: make automatic or control or operate automatically
automatise: turn into an automaton
avianise: to modify microorganisms by repeated culture in the developing chick embryo
ax: terminate
azure: color azure
back: strengthen by providing with a back or backing
back: shift to a counterclockwise direction
back: establish as valid or genuine
backfire: set a controlled fire to halt an advancing forest to prairie fire
background: understate the importance or quality of
backlog: accumulate and create a backlog
backscatter: scatter (radiation) by the atoms of the medium through which it passes
backslide: drop to a lower level, as in one's morals or standards
bacterise: subject to the action of bacteria
baffle: restrain the emission of (sound, fluid, etc.)
bail: remove (water) from a vessel with a container
bail: empty (a vessel) by bailing
bail out: remove (water) from a boat by dipping and throwing over the side
bake: cook and make edible by putting in a hot oven
bake: heat by a natural force
bald: grow bald; lose hair on one's head
ballast: make steady with a ballast
balloon: become inflated
barbarise: make crude or savage in behavior or speech
barbarise: become crude or savage or barbaric in behavior or language
barbecue: cook outdoors on a barbecue grill
bare: lay bare
bark: tan (a skin) with bark tannins
basset: appear at the surface
baste: cover with liquid before cooking
bate: soak in a special solution to soften and remove chemicals used in previous treatments
batik: dye with wax
batter: make a dent or impression in
be born: come into existence through birth
be on: appear in a show, on T.V. or radio
beautify: make more beautiful
becalm: make steady
bechance: become of; happen to
bechance: happen, occur, or be the case in the course of events or by chance
become flat: lose sparkle or bouquet
become: enter or assume a certain state or condition
bedew: cover with drops of dew or as with dew
bedim: make darker and difficult to perceive by sight
bedim: make obscure or unclear
bedraggle: make wet and dirty, as from rain
beef up: make strong or stronger
befoul: spot, stain, or pollute
begin: take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
begin: set in motion, cause to start
belch: become active and spew forth lava and rocks
belittle: lessen the authority, dignity, or reputation of
belly: swell out or bulge out
beneficiate: process (ores or other raw materials), as by reduction
benficiate: subject to a reduction process
besprinkle: scatter with liquid; wet lightly
bestialise: make brutal and depraved; give animal-like qualities to
bestir oneself: start to be active
bifurcate: divide into two branches
bilge: cause to leak
bilge: take in water at the bilge
bind: form a chemical bond with
biodegrade: break down naturally through the action of biological agents
bituminise: treat with bitumen
black out: suppress by censorship as for political reasons
black out: darken completely
black: make or become black
blacken: burn slightly and superficially so as to affect color
blackwash: color with blackwash
blanch: cook (vegetables) briefly
blank out: cut out, as for political reasons
blast: shrivel or wither or mature imperfectly
blast: shatter as if by explosion
bleach: make whiter or lighter
bleach: remove color from
blear: make dim or indistinct
bleed: drain of liquid or steam
blemish: add a flaw or blemish to; make imperfect or defective
blend in: cause (something) to be mixed with (something else)
blend: mix together different elements
blind: make dim by comparison or conceal
blister: cause blisters to form on
blister: get blistered
bloat: become bloated or swollen or puff up
bloat: make bloated or swollen
block: shape into a block or blocks
block: shape by using a block
block: prohibit the conversion or use of (assets)
bloody: cover with blood
bloom: produce or yield flowers
blossom: develop or come to a promising stage
blot out: make undecipherable or imperceptible by obscuring or concealing
blow: burst suddenly
blow: shape by blowing
blow over: disappear gradually
blow up: burst and release energy as through a violent chemical or physical reaction
blow up: cause to burst with a violent release of energy
blow up: make large
blow up: fill with gas or air
blow up: to swell or cause to enlarge
blow: melt, break, or become otherwise unusable
blow-dry: dry hair with a hair dryer
blue: turn blue
blue-pencil: cut or eliminate
blunt: make less sharp
blunt: make less intense
blunt: make less lively, intense, or vigorous; impair in vigor, force, activity, or sensation
blur: become vague or indistinct
blush: become rosy or reddish
bog: get stuck while doing something
bog: cause to slow down or get stuck
boil: come to the boiling point and change from a liquid to vapor
boil: bring to, or maintain at, the boiling point
boil: immerse or be immersed in a boiling liquid, often for cooking purposes
boil down: be the essential element
boil down: be cooked until very little liquid is left
boil down: cook until very little liquid is left
boil over: overflow or cause to overflow while boiling
bolshevise: make Communist or bring in accord with Communist principles
bolster: support and strengthen
bolster: add padding to
bolt: make or roll into bolts
bombard: direct high energy particles or radiation against
bombproof: make safe against bombings
bone: remove the bones from
boom: grow vigorously
boost: give a boost to; be beneficial to
bottleneck: become narrow, like a bottleneck
bounce back: improve in health
bound: place limits on (extent or amount or access)
bourgeon: produce buds, branches, or germinate
bowdlerise: edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate
brace oneself for: prepare mentally or emotionally for something unpleasant
brace up: make secure underneath
braise: cook in liquid
branch out: vary in order to spread risk or to expand
branch: divide into two or more branches so as to form a fork
branch: grow and send out branches or branch-like structures
bray: reduce to small pieces or particles by pounding or abrading
break: destroy the integrity of; usually by force; cause to separate into pieces or fragments
break: render inoperable or ineffective
break: crack; of the male voice in puberty
break: be broken in
break: fall sharply
break: come into being
break: change suddenly from one tone quality or register to another
break apart: break up or separate
break down: separate (substances) into constituent elements or parts
break in: break so as to fall inward
break in: start in a certain activity, enterprise, or role
break into: change pace
break loose: be unleashed; emerge with violence or noise
break off: interrupt before its natural or planned end
break open: erupt or intensify suddenly
break open: come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
break out: begin suddenly and sometimes violently
break out: start abruptly
break out: become raw or open
break through: break out
break through: penetrate
break through: pass through (a barrier)
break up: cause to separate
break up: come to an end
break up: bring the association of to an end or cause to break up
break up: cause to go into a solution
break up: break or cause to break into pieces
break: stop operating or functioning
break: make submissive, obedient, or useful
break: prevent completion
break: become fractured; break or crack on the surface only
break: become separated into pieces or fragments
break: lessen in force or effect
break: happen
break: terminate
breathe: reach full flavor by absorbing air and being let to stand after having been uncorked
brecciate: break into breccia
brew: sit or let sit in boiling water so as to extract the flavor
brighten: make more cheerful through the use of color
brim: fill as much as possible
brine: soak in brine
bring down: cut down on; make a reduction in
bring home: make understandable and clear
bring out: direct attention to, as if by means of contrast
bring: bring into a different state
brisk: become brisk
broaden: become broader
broaden: make broader
broaden: extend in scope or range or area
broil: cook under a broiler
bromate: treat with bromine
bromate: react with bromine
bronze: give the color and appearance of bronze to something
brown: fry in a pan until it changes color
brown: make brown in color
bruise: damage (plant tissue) by abrasion or pressure
bruise: break up into small pieces for food preparation
brush: remove with or as if with a brush
brush up: bring to a highly developed, finished, or refined state
bubble: form, produce, or emit bubbles
bubble: cause to form bubbles
buckle: bend out of shape, as under pressure or from heat
buckram: stiffen with or as with buckram
bud: develop buds
bud: start to grow or develop
buffer: add a buffer (a solution)
build: improve the cleansing action of
build: develop and grow
build in: make something an integral part of something else
build up: enlarge, develop, or increase by degrees or in stages
build up: change the use of and make available or usable
build: form or accumulate steadily
build: bolster or strengthen
bulge: cause to bulge or swell outwards
bulge: swell or protrude outwards
bulk: stick out or up
bull: advance in price
bulletproof: make bulletproof
bump up: increase or raise
bur: remove the burrs from
burgeon: grow and flourish
burke: get rid of, silence, or suppress
burl: remove the burls from cloth
burn: damage by burning with heat, fire, or radiation
burn down: burn completely; be consumed or destroyed by fire
burn off: clear land of its vegetation by burning it off
burn: destroy by fire
burn: burn, sear, or freeze (tissue) using a hot iron or electric current or a caustic agent
burn: undergo combustion
burn: cause to undergo combustion
burst: emerge suddenly
burst forth: come into or as if into flower
burst out: appear suddenly
burst: break open or apart suddenly and forcefully
burst: burst outward, usually with noise
bus: remove used dishes from the table in restaurants
bushel: restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken
buttress: make stronger or defensible
buttress: reinforce with a buttress
butylate: introduce the butyl group into a chemical compound
buy it: be killed or die
buy the farm: pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
buy time: act so as to delay an event or action in order to gain an advantage
calcify: convert into lime
calcify: turn into lime; become calcified
calcify: become impregnated with calcium salts
calcify: become inflexible and unchanging
calcine: heat a substance so that it oxidizes or reduces
calibrate: make fine adjustments or divide into marked intervals for optimal measuring
callous: make insensitive or callous; deaden feelings or morals
callus: form a callus or calluses
callus: cause a callus to form on
calm down: become quiet or less intensive
camp: give an artificially banal or sexual quality to
camphorate: treat with camphor
can: preserve in a can or tin
cancel out: wipe out the effect of something
cap: restrict the number or amount of
cap off: finish or complete, as with some decisive action
capacitate: cause (spermatozoa) to undergo the physical changes necessary to fertilize an egg
capacitate: make capable
capitalise: convert (a company's reserve funds) into capital
capsule: put in a short or concise form; reduce in volume
caramelise: convert to caramel
caramelise: be converted into caramel
carbonate: treat with carbon dioxide
carbonise: turn into carbon, as by burning
carbonise: unite with carbon
carboxylate: treat (a chemical compound) with carboxyl or carboxylic acid
carmine: color carmine
carnalise: debase through carnal gratification
carnify: become muscular or fleshy
carry out: pursue to a conclusion or bring to a successful issue
carry over: transfer or persist from one stage or sphere of activity to another
carry: continue or extend
carve out: remove from a larger whole
caseate: become cheeselike
caseate: turn into cheese
castrate: deprive of strength or vigor
catabolise: subject to catabolism
catalyse: change by catalysis or cause to catalyze
catch: be struck or affected by
catch: delay or hold up; prevent from proceeding on schedule or as planned
catch on: become popular
catheterise: insert a catheter into (a body part)
catholicise: cause to adopt Catholicism
centralise: make central
chafe: warm by rubbing, as with the hands
change: undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature
change: remove or replace the coverings of
change: change clothes; put on different clothes
change by reversal: change to the contrary
change form: assume a different shape or form
change integrity: change in physical make-up
change magnitude: change in size or magnitude
change over: change from one system to another or to a new plan or policy
change over: make a shift in or exchange of
change state: undergo a transformation or a change of position or action
change surface: undergo or cause to undergo a change in the surface
change: exchange or replace with another, usually of the same kind or category
change: become deeper in tone
change: lay aside, abandon, or leave for another
channel-surf: switch channels, on television
chap: crack due to dehydration
charge: energize a battery by passing a current through it in the direction opposite to discharge
charge: cause formation of a net electrical charge in or on
charge: saturate
chasten: correct by punishment or discipline
chasten: change by restraining or moderating
cheapen: lower the grade of something; reduce its worth
check: arrest the motion (of something) abruptly
check: make cracks or chinks in
check: slow the growth or development of
checker: variegate with different colors, shades, or patterns
childproof: make safe against children
chill: loose heat
chill: make cool or cooler
chip away: remove or withdraw gradually:
chlorinate: treat or combine with chlorine
choke back: suppress
choke: suppress the development, creativity, or imagination of
choke: become stultified, suppressed, or stifled
choke: reduce the air supply
chondrify: turn into cartilage
chord: bring into consonance, harmony, or accord while making music or singing
Christianize: convert to Christianity
Christianize: adapt in the name of Christianity
chrome: treat with a chromium compound
chronologise: establish the order in time of something
circularize: make circular
circumscribe: restrict or confine within limits
citify: accustom to urban ways
citrate: cause to form a salt or ester of citric acid
civilise: raise from a barbaric to a civilized state
clabber: turn into curds
clamp down: repress or suppress (something regarded as undesirable)
clarify: make clear by removing impurities or solids, as by heating
classicise: make classic or classical
clean: remove shells or husks from
clean out: empty completely
clean up: put (things or places) in order
clean: remove unwanted substances from, such as feathers or pits
clean: remove unwanted substances from
cleanse: purge of an ideology, bad thoughts, or sins
clear: make clear, bright, light, or translucent
clear: remove the occupants of
clear: remove (people) from a building
clear: rid of instructions or data
clear: remove
clear: make a way or path by removing objects
clear away: remove from sight
clear out: clear out the chest and lungs
clear up: finish a task completely
clear: free (the throat) by making a rasping sound
clear: rid of obstructions
clear-cut: remove all the trees at one time
click off: perform or finish an action rapidly
climax: end, especially to reach a final or climactic stage
climb: improve one's social status
climb up: rise in rank or status
climb: increase in value or to a higher point
climb: go up or advance
clinker: turn to clinker or form clinker under excessive heat in burning
clinker: clear out the cinders and clinker from
clip: terminate or abbreviate before its intended or proper end or its full extent
clock: measure the time or duration of an event or action or the person who performs an action in a certain period of time
clog: coalesce or unite in a mass
clog: impede with a clog or as if with a clog
clog: fill to excess so that function is impaired
cloister: seclude from the world in or as if in a cloister
close: finish a game in baseball by protecting a lead
close out: terminate
closure: terminate debate by calling for a vote
clot: change from a liquid to a thickened or solid state
clot: cause to change from a liquid to a solid or thickened state
cloud: make milky or dull
cloud: make less clear
cloud over: become overcast
cloud: colour with streaks or blotches of different shades
clutter: fill a space in a disorderly way
coarsen: make less subtle or refined
cobble: repair or mend
coddle: cook in nearly boiling water
codify: organize into a code or system, such as a body of law
coincide: happen simultaneously
coke: become coke
collapse: lose significance, effectiveness, or value
collimate: adjust the line of sight of (an optical instrument)
collimate: make or place parallel to something
colonise: settle as colonists or establish a colony (in)
color: add color to
color: change color, often in an undesired manner
combine: put or add together
come: come to pass; arrive, as in due course
come: be found or available
come: happen as a result
come: reach or enter a state, relation, condition, use, or position
come about: come to pass
come around: happen regularly
come back: be restored
come forth: come out of
come into being: be born or come into existence
come off: happen in a particular manner
come on: occur or become available
come on: appear or become visible; make a showing
come to hand: be revealed or disclosed
commercialise: make commercial
communise: make into property owned by the state
commutate: reverse the direction of (an alternating electric current) each half cycle so as to produce a unidirectional current
commute: exchange a penalty for a less severe one
commute: change the order or arrangement of
commute: exchange positions without a change in value
compartmentalise: separate into isolated compartments or categories
complement: make complete or perfect; supply what is wanting or form the complement to
complete: bring to a whole, with all the necessary parts or elements
complete: come or bring to a finish or an end
complexify: make complex
complexify: have or develop complicating consequences
complexion: give a certain color to
complicate: make more complex, intricate, or richer
complicate: make more complicated
compost: convert to compost
compound: make more intense, stronger, or more marked
concatenate: add by linking or joining so as to form a chain or series
concentrate: make denser, stronger, or purer
concentrate: compress or concentrate
concentrate: make more concise
concrete: form into a solid mass; coalesce
concretise: become specific
condense: develop due to condensation
condense: become more compact or concentrated
condense: cause a gas or vapor to change into a liquid
condense: remove water from
condense: undergo condensation; change from a gaseous to a liquid state and fall in drops
condition: put into a better state
confirm: make more firm
conform to: behave in accordance or in agreement with
congeal: become gelatinous
conglobate: assume a globular shape
conjugate: unite chemically so that the product is easily broken down into the original compounds
conjugate: undergo conjugation
conquer: bring under control by force or authority
conserve: preserve with sugar
consolidate: make firm or secure; strengthen
consolidate: make or form into a solid or hardened mass
consolidate: form into a solid mass or whole
consolidate: unite into one
consolidate: bring together into a single whole or system
constellate: form a constellation or cluster
constitutionalise: incorporate into a constitution, make constitutional
constrain: severely restrict in scope or extent
constrict: become tight or as if tight
consubstantiate: unite in one common substance
consubstantiate: become united in substance
contaminate: make radioactive by adding radioactive material
contaminate: make impure
continue: exist over a prolonged period of time
contract: make or become more narrow or restricted
contract: become smaller or draw together
conventionalise: make conventional or adapt to conventions
converge: come together so as to form a single product
convert: change religious beliefs, or adopt a religious belief
convert: cause to adopt a new or different faith
convert: change in nature, purpose, or function; undergo a chemical change
convert: change the nature, purpose, or function of something
cook: transform and make suitable for consumption by heating
cook: transform by heating
cool: lose intensity
coordinate: bring order and organization to
copolymerise: polymerize together
cork: stuff with cork
corn: preserve with salt
correct: make right or correct
corrode: cause to deteriorate due to the action of water, air, or an acid
corrode: become destroyed by water, air, or a corrosive such as an acid
corrupt: alter from the original
coruscate: be lively or brilliant or exhibit virtuosity
counterchange: cause to change places
crack: break into simpler molecules by means of heat
crack: reduce (petroleum) to a simpler compound by cracking
crack: cause to become cracked
crack: break partially but keep its integrity
crack: break suddenly and abruptly, as under tension
crackle: to become, or to cause to become, covered with a network of small cracks
cram: prepare (students) hastily for an impending exam
cramp: prevent the progress or free movement of
crash: undergo a sudden and severe downturn
crash: stop operating
craze: develop a fine network of cracks
cream: add cream to one's coffee, for example
crease: become wrinkled or crumpled or creased
cremate: reduce to ashes
creolize: develop into a creole
creosote: treat with creosote
crescendo: grow louder
cripple: deprive of strength or efficiency; make useless or worthless
crisp: make brown and crisp by heating
crisscross: mark with a pattern of crossing lines
crown: be the culminating event
crumb: break into crumbs
crumb: remove crumbs from
crumble: fall into decay or ruin
crumble: break or fall apart into fragments
crump: explode heavily or with a loud dull noise
crush: break into small pieces
crush: become injured, broken, or distorted by pressure
crush out: extinguish by crushing
crust: form a crust or form into a crust
crystalise: cause to form crystals or assume crystalline form
crystalise: cause to take on a definite and clear shape
crystalise: assume crystalline form; become crystallized
culminate: bring to a head or to the highest point
culminate: rise to, or form, a summit
cultivate: adapt (a wild plant or unclaimed land) to the environment
culture: grow in a special preparation
cup: put into a cup
cup: form into the shape of a cup
curb: place restrictions on
curdle: turn from a liquid to a solid mass
curdle: go bad or sour
cure: prepare by drying, salting, or chemical processing in order to preserve
cure: be or become preserved
cure: make (substances) hard and improve their usability
curl: form a curl, curve, or kink
curry: treat by incorporating fat
customise: make according to requirements
cut: dissolve by breaking down the fat of
cut: have a reducing effect
cut: shorten as if by severing the edges or ends of
cut in: interrupt a dancing couple in order to take one of them as one's own partner
cut in: mix in with cutting motions
cut out: cease operating
cut out: delete or remove
cut short: cause to end earlier than intended
cut short: make shorter as if by cutting off
cut up: significantly cut up a manuscript
cut up: destroy or injure severely
cut: cease, stop
cut: lessen the strength or flavor of a solution or mixture
cut: cut and assemble the components of
cut: weed out unwanted or unnecessary things
cutinize: convert into cutin
cycle: recur in repeating sequences
damage: inflict damage upon
damage: suffer or be susceptible to damage
damp: restrain or discourage
damp: make vague or obscure or make (an image) less visible
dampen: check; keep in check (a fire)
dampen: reduce the amplitude (of oscillations or waves)
dampen: make moist
dampen: suppress or constrain so as to lessen in intensity
darken: become dark or darker
darken: make dark or darker
dash: add an enlivening or altering element to
dash: break into pieces, as by striking or knocking over
dawn: become light
de-emphasise: reduce the emphasis
de-escalate: diminish in size, scope, or intensity
de-escalate: reduce the level or intensity or size or scope of
de-iodinate: remove iodine from
de-ionate: remove ions from
deactivate: remove from active military status or reassign
deactivate: make inactive
deaden: become lifeless, less lively, intense, or active; lose life, force, or vigor
deaden: convert (metallic mercury) into a grey powder consisting of minute globules, as by shaking with chalk or fatty oil
deaden: lessen the momentum or velocity of
deaden: make vapid or deprive of spirit
deafen: make soundproof
deaminate: remove the amino radical (usually by hydrolysis) from an amino compound; to perform deamination
debilitate: make weak
debouch: pass out or emerge; especially of rivers
debug: locate and correct errors in a computer program code
decalcify: remove calcium or lime from
decalcify: lose calcium or calcium compounds
decarbonise: remove carbon from (an engine)
decarboxylate: remove a carboxyl group from (a chemical compound)
decarboxylate: lose a carboxyl group
decay: undergo decay or decomposition
decay: lose a stored charge, magnetic flux, or current
decelerate: lose velocity; move more slowly
decelerate: reduce the speed of
decentralise: make less central
decimalise: change to the decimal system
decimalise: change from fractions to decimals
decimate: kill one in every ten, as of mutineers in Roman armies
declaw: remove the claws from
decline: grow smaller
decline: grow worse
declutch: disengage the clutch of a car
decoct: extract the essence of something by boiling it
decoct: steep in hot water
decompose: break down
decompress: decrease the pressure of
decontaminate: rid of contamination
decorticate: remove the cortex of (an organ)
decouple: reduce or eliminate the coupling of (one circuit or part to another)
decouple: eliminate airborne shock waves from (an explosive)
decrease: decrease in size, extent, or range
decrease: make smaller
decrepitate: to roast or calcine so as to cause to crackle or until crackling stops
decrepitate: undergo decrepitation and crackle
decrescendo: grow quieter
dedifferentiate: lose specialization in form or function
deep freeze: store in a deep-freeze, as for conservation
deep-dye: dye thoroughly
deep-fat-fry: fry in deep fat
deep-fry: cook by immersing in fat
deepen: make deeper
deepen: become more intense
defang: remove the fangs from
defervesce: experience an abatement of a fever
deflagrate: burn with great heat and intense light
deflate: reduce or cut back the amount or availability of, creating a decline in value or prices
deflate: produce deflation in
deflate: become deflated or flaccid, as by losing air
deflower: make imperfect
defog: free from mist
defoliate: strip the leaves or branches from
deforest: remove the trees from
deform: become misshapen
deform: alter the shape of (something) by stress
defrost: make or become free of frost or ice
degas: remove gas from
degauss: make nonmagnetic; take away the magnetic properties (of)
dehisce: burst or split open
dehorn: take the horns off (an animal)
dehorn: prevent the growth of horns of certain animals
dehumanise: make mechanical or routine
dehumidify: make less humid
dehydrate: preserve by removing all water and liquids from
dehydrate: remove water from
dehydrate: lose water or moisture
dehydrogenate: remove hydrogen from
deify: exalt to the position of a God
delay: cause to be slowed down or delayed
delay: stop or halt
deliquesce: melt or become liquid by absorbing moisture from the air
deliquesce: melt away in the process of decay
delouse: free of lice
deluge: fill or cover completely, usually with water
dematerialise: become immaterial; disappear
demineralise: remove the minerals or salts from
demonetise: deprive of value for payment
demonise: make into a demon
demulsify: break down into components
demulsify: cause to demulsify
demystify: make less mysterious or remove the mystery from
demythologise: remove the mythical element from (writings)
denationalise: put under private control or ownership
denaturalise: strip of the rights and duties of citizenship
denaturalise: make less natural or unnatural
denature: make (alcohol) unfit for drinking without impairing usefulness for other purposes
denature: modify (as a native protein) especially by heat, acid, alkali, or ultraviolet radiation so that all of the original properties are removed or diminished
denature: add nonfissionable material to (fissionable material) so as to make unsuitable for use in an atomic bomb
denazify: free from Nazi ideology or detach from Nazi allegiance
denitrify: remove nitrogen from
deoxidise: to remove oxygen from a compound, or cause to react with hydrogen or form a hydride, or to undergo an increase in the number of electrons
depersonalise: make impersonal or present as an object
depolarise: eliminate the polarization of
depopulate: reduce in population
depreciate: lower the value of something
depreciate: lose in value
depress: lessen the activity or force of
deprive: take away
derange: throw into great confusion or disorder
derate: lower the rated electrical capability of electrical apparatus
derive: come from
derive: develop or evolve from a latent or potential state
desalinate: remove salt from
descend: come as if by falling
desensitise: make insensitive
desolate: cause extensive destruction or ruin utterly
desorb: remove from a surface on which it is adsorbed
desorb: go away from the surface to which (a substance) is adsorbed
destabilise: become unstable
destabilise: make unstable
destalinise: counteract the effects and policies of Stalinism
desynchronise: cause to become desynchronized; cause to occur at unrelated times
deteriorate: become worse or disintegrate
dethaw: become or cause to become soft or liquid
detoxicate: remove poison from
detract: take away a part from; diminish
detransitivise: intransitivize
detribalise: cause members of a tribe to lose their cultural identity
detusk: remove the tusks of animals
devaluate: remove the value from; deprive of its value
devalue: lower the value or quality of
devastate: overwhelm or overpower
develop: grow, progress, unfold, or evolve through a process of evolution, natural growth, differentiation, or a conducive environment
develop: be gradually disclosed or unfolded; become manifest
develop: expand in the form of a series
develop: elaborate by the unfolding of a musical idea and by the working out of the rhythmic and harmonic changes in the theme
develop: grow emotionally or mature
develop: cause to grow and differentiate in ways conforming to its natural development
develop: become technologically advanced
devilise: turn into a devil or make devilish
devitalise: sap of life or energy
devitrify: make (glassy materials) brittle or opaque
devitrify: become crystalline
diagonalise: transform a matrix to a diagonal matrix
dialyse: separate by dialysis
diazotize: convert (an amine) into a diazo compound
die: suffer spiritual death; be damned (in the religious sense)
die: disappear or come to an end
die back: suffer from a disease that kills shoots
die down: become progressively weaker
die off: become extinct
differentiate: become distinct and acquire a different character
differentiate: become different during development
differentiate: evolve so as to lead to a new species or develop in a way most suited to the environment
digest: soften or disintegrate by means of chemical action, heat, or moisture
digest: soften or disintegrate, as by undergoing exposure to heat or moisture
digest: systematize, as by classifying and summarizing
digest: become assimilated into the body
digitalise: put into digital form, as for use in a computer
dignify: raise the status of
dilate: become wider
dim: make dim or lusterless
dim: become dim or lusterless
dimension: shape or form to required dimensions
dimple: mark with, or as if with, dimples
dinge: make dingy
dip: go down momentarily
dip: stain an object by immersing it in a liquid
disable: make unable to perform a certain action
disappear: become less intense and fade away gradually
disappear: get lost, as without warning or explanation
disappear: cease to exist
disarrange: disturb the arrangement of
disarray: bring disorder to
disbud: destroy undeveloped horn buds (of cattle)
discharge: become empty or void of its content
discolor: cause to lose or change color
discolor: lose color or turn colorless
disembowel: remove the entrails of
disengage: become free
disestablish: deprive (an established church) of its status
dish: make concave; shape like a dish
disharmonize: cause to sound harsh and unpleasant
disintegrate: break into parts or components or lose cohesion or unity
disintegrate: cause to undergo fission or lose particles
disinvest: remove (someone's or one's own) clothes
dislocate: put out of its usual place, position, or relationship
dislocate: move out of position
dismantle: take off or remove
dismiss: declare void
dispose: make fit or prepared
disqualify: make unfit or unsuitable
disrupt: throw into disorder
disrupt: interfere in someone else's activity
dissimilate: become dissimilar or less similar
dissimilate: make dissimilar; cause to become less similar
dissimilate: become dissimilar by changing the sound qualities
dissociate: to undergo a reversible or temporary breakdown of a molecule into simpler molecules or atoms
dissolve: cause to fade away
dissolve: pass into a solution
dissolve: become weaker
distend: swell from or as if from internal pressure
distend: cause to expand as it by internal pressure
distil: undergo the process of distillation
distil: extract by the process of distillation
distill: remove impurities from, increase the concentration of, and separate through the process of distillation
disturb: damage as if by shaking or jarring
disturb: destroy the peace or tranquility of
diversify: make (more) diverse
diversify: spread into new habitats and produce variety or variegate
dizzy: make dizzy or giddy
do away with: terminate, end, or take out
doctor: alter and make impure, as with the intention to deceive
domesticate: overcome the wildness of; make docile and tractable
domesticate: make fit for cultivation, domestic life, and service to humans
dope: add impurities to (a semiconductor) in order to produce or modify its properties
dose: treat with an agent; add (an agent) to
dot: mark with a dot
double dye: dye twice
double: increase twofold
douse: lower quickly
douse: slacken
douse: cover with liquid; pour liquid onto
down: improve or perfect by pruning or polishing
downsize: (of a company) reduce in size or number of employees
downsize: design or manufacture in a smaller size
drag: proceed for an extended period of time
drain: empty of liquid; drain the liquid from
draw: reduce the diameter of (a wire or metal rod) by pulling it through a die
draw: contract
draw: bring or lead someone to a certain action or condition
draw: steep; pass through a strainer
draw: flatten, stretch, or mold metal or glass, by rolling or by pulling it through a die or by stretching
draw a line: reasonably object (to) or set a limit (on)
draw out: lengthen in time; cause to be or last longer
drench: permeate or impregnate
dress: convert into leather
dress up: make something appear superficially attractive
dress: kill and prepare for market or consumption
drift: be piled up in banks or heaps by the force of wind or a current
drift: be subject to fluctuation
drip-dry: dry by hanging up wet
droop: become limp
drop: change from one level to another
drop: go down in value
drop: fall or sink into a state of exhaustion or death
drop away: get worse
drop off: fall or diminish
drop: lower the pitch of (musical notes)
drop: stop pursuing or acting
drown: die from being submerged in water, getting water into the lungs, and asphyxiating
drown: get rid of as if by submerging
drown: kill by submerging in water
dry up: dry up and shrivel due to complete loss of moisture
dry: become dry or drier
dry: remove the moisture from and make dry
dry-rot: affect or be affected with dry rot
dull: make less lively or vigorous
dull: become dull or lusterless in appearance; lose shine or brightness
dull: become less interesting or attractive
dun: cure by salting
dun: make a dun color
dung: fertilize or dress with dung
duplex: change into a duplex
dusk: become dusk
dwindle: become smaller or lose substance
dye: color with dye
dynamise: make (a drug) effective
dynamise: make more dynamic
dynamite: blow up with dynamite
ease off: become less intense
ease off: reduce pressure or intensity
eat at: become ground down or deteriorate
eat away: remove soil or rock
eat away: wear away or erode
ebb: fall away or decline
ebonise: stain black to make it look like ebony
edit: prepare for publication or presentation by correcting, revising, or adapting
efface: remove completely from recognition or memory
effeminise: to give a (more) feminine, effeminate, or womanly quality or appearance to
effervesce: become bubbly or frothy or foaming
effloresce: become encrusted with crystals due to evaporation
effuse: give out or emit (also metaphorically)
effuse: flow or spill forth
elaborate: work out in detail
electrify: charge (a conductor) with electricity
electrify: equip for use with electricity
elevate: raise in rank or condition
eliminate: remove (an unknown variable) from two or more equations
elongate: make long or longer by pulling and stretching
emaciate: grow weak and thin or waste away physically
emaciate: cause to grow thin or weak
emanate: proceed or issue forth, as from a source
embark: set out on (an enterprise or subject of study)
embrangle: make more complicated or confused through entanglements
embrittle: make brittle
embrown: cause to darken
emend: make improvements or corrections to
emerge: come out into view, as from concealment
emerge: become known or apparent
emigrate: leave one's country of residence for a new one
empty: make void or empty of contents
empurple: color purple
emulsify: form into or become an emulsion
emulsify: cause to become an emulsion; make into an emulsion
enable: render capable or able for some task
enclose: place, fit, or thrust (something) into another thing
encrimson: make crimson
encrust: form a crust or a hard layer
end up: finally be or do something
end: bring to an end or halt
energise: raise to a higher energy level
enervate: weaken mentally or morally
engage: get caught
enhance: make better or more attractive
enhance: increase
enlarge: become larger or bigger
enlarge: make larger
enrich: make better or improve in quality
enucleate: remove the nucleus from (a cell)
enucleate: remove (a tumor or eye) from an enveloping sac or cover
envenom: add poison to
equal: make equal, uniform, corresponding, or matching
equilibrate: bring to a chemical stasis or equilibrium
equip: provide with abilities or understanding
erase: remove from memory or existence
eroticize: give erotic character to or make more interesting
erupt: appear on the skin
escalate: increase in extent or intensity
escape: issue or leak, as from a small opening
esterify: change (a compound) into an ester
etch: selectively dissolve the surface of (a semiconductor or printed circuit) with a solvent, laser, or stream of electrons
eternalise: make famous forever
etherealize: make ethereal
etherify: change into an ether
etiolate: bleach and alter the natural development of (a green plant) by excluding sunlight
etiolate: make weak by stunting the growth or development of
Europeanize: make (continental) European in customs, character, or ideas
Europeanize: denationalize and subject (a territory) to the supervision of an agency of a European community of nations
evacuate: empty completely
evacuate: create a vacuum in (a bulb, flask, reaction vessel)
evangelise: convert to Christianity
evaporate: change into a vapor
evaporate: cause to change into a vapor
evaporate: lose or cause to lose liquid by vaporization leaving a more concentrated residue
even: make even or more even
even: become even or more even
eviscerate: remove the contents of
eviscerate: take away a vital or essential part of
evolve: undergo development or evolution
exalt: raise in rank, character, or status
exchange: change over, change around, as to a new order or sequence
excise: remove by cutting
excite: produce a magnetic field in
excite: act as a stimulant
exenterate: remove the contents of (an organ)
exfoliate: grow by producing or unfolding leaves
exhaust: use up the whole supply of
expand: make bigger or wider in size, volume, or quantity
expand: become larger in size or volume or quantity
expand: expand the influence of
expatriate: move away from one's native country and adopt a new residence abroad
expense: reduce the estimated value of something
experience: undergo
explode: increase rapidly and in an uncontrolled manner
extend: prolong the time allowed for payment of
extend: increase in quantity or bulk by adding a cheaper substance
exteriorise: make external or objective, or give reality to
extinguish: put an end to; kill
extirpate: surgically remove (an organ)
face-harden: harden steel by adding carbon
fade: become less clearly visible or distinguishable; disappear gradually or seemingly
fade: lose freshness, vigor, or vitality
fail: get worse
fail: prove insufficient
fall: be cast down
fall: assume a disappointed or sad expression
fall: come out; issue
fall: be born, used chiefly of lambs
fall: begin vigorously
fall: pass suddenly and passively into a state of body or mind
fall: go as if by falling
fall: occur at a specified time or place
fall away: diminish in size or intensity
fall in love: begin to experience feelings of love towards
fall off: fall heavily or suddenly; decline markedly
falsify: falsify knowingly
fan: make (an emotion) fiercer
fan: blow away or off with a current of air
farce: fill with a stuffing while cooking
fast dye: dye with fast colors
fasten: make tight or tighter
fathom: measure the depth of (a body of water) with a sounding line
fecundate: make fertile or productive
federalise: put under the control and authority of a federal government
federalise: unite on a federal basis or band together as a league
federalise: enter into a league for a common purpose
feed: introduce continuously
feed: provide with fertilizers or add nutrients to
felt: change texture so as to become matted and felt-like
feminise: assume (more) feminine characteristics
ferment: go sour or spoil
ferment: cause to undergo fermentation
festinate: act or move at high speed
fetishize: make a fetish of
feudalize: bring (a country or people) under feudalism
fictionalise: convert into the form or the style of a novel
fiddle: try to fix or mend
fill: plug with a substance
fill again: fill something that had previously been emptied
fill out: make bigger or better or more complete
fill: become full
fill: make full, also in a metaphorical sense
finalise: make final; put the last touches on; put into final form
find: accept and make use of one's personality, abilities, and situation
find: receive a specified treatment (abstract)
fine-tune: adjust finely
finish: cause to finish a relationship with somebody
finish out: fill out
fire: bake in a kiln so as to harden
fire: become ignited
fire: start or maintain a fire in
fireproof: make resistant to fire
firm: make taut or tauter
firm: become taut or tauter
fishtail: slow down by moving the tail sideways
fissure: break into fissures or fine cracks
fit: make fit
fit: insert or adjust several objects or people
fit: make correspond or harmonize
fix: kill, preserve, and harden (tissue) in order to prepare for microscopic study
fix: make fixed, stable or stationary
fix: make ready or suitable or equip in advance for a particular purpose or for some use, event, etc
fixate: become fixed (on)
flag: provide with a flag
flare: become flared and widen, usually at one end
flash: appear briefly
flash: emit a brief burst of light
flash-freeze: freeze rapidly so as to preserve the natural juices and flavors
flatten: make flat or flatter
flatten: become flat or flatter
flick: remove with a flick (of the hand)
flip: go mad, go crazy
float: convert from a fixed point notation to a floating point notation
flood: become filled to overflowing
flood: cover with liquid, usually water
floodlight: illuminate with floodlights
flour: convert grain into flour
flow: cover or swamp with water
flow away: flow off or away gradually
fluctuate: be unstable
fluoridate: subject to fluoridation; treat with fluoride
flush: flow freely
flush: cause to flow or flood with or as if with water
flush down: flow freely
flush: rinse, clean, or empty with a liquid
flush: irrigate with water from a sluice
flux: become liquid or fluid when heated
fly: change quickly from one emotional state to another
fly: decrease rapidly and disappear
focalise: become focussed or come into focus
focalise: put (an image) into focus
foist: insert surreptitiously or without warrant
fold: incorporate a food ingredient into a mixture by repeatedly turning it over without stirring or beating
fold: become folded or folded up
foliate: grow leaves
follow up: increase the effectiveness or success of by further action
follow: keep informed
follow: keep to
foolproof: proof against human misuse or error
foreground: move into the foreground to make more visible or prominent
foreshorten: shorten lines in a drawing so as to create an illusion of depth
fork: shape like a fork
form: assume a form or shape
form: give shape or form to
format: divide (a disk) into marked sectors so that it may store data
fortify: add nutrients to
fortify: add alcohol to (beverages)
fossilise: become mentally inflexible
fossilise: convert to a fossil
foul: become soiled and dirty
foul: make unclean
fox: become discolored with, or as if with, mildew spots
fracture: break into pieces
fracture: violate or abuse
frap: take up the slack of
freckle: become freckled
freckle: mark with freckles
free: make (assets) available
freeze: change to ice
freeze: cause to freeze
freeze: change from a liquid to a solid when cold
freeze: stop a process or a habit by imposing a freeze on it
freeze-dry: preserve by rapid freezing and subsequently drying in a vacuum
Frenchify: become French in appearance or character
Frenchify: make French in appearance or character
freshen up: make brighter and prettier
freshen: make (to feel) fresh
fricassee: make a fricassee of by cooking
frizzle: fry something until it curls and becomes crisp
frost: damage by frost
froth: make froth or foam and become bubbly
fructify: make productive or fruitful
fructify: become productive or fruitful
fry: cook on a hot surface using fat
full: make (a garment) fuller by pleating or gathering
full: increase in phase
fulminate: come on suddenly and intensely
fulminate: cause to explode violently and with loud noise
furl: form into a cylinder by rolling
fuse: make liquid or plastic by heating
fuse: become plastic or fluid or liquefied from heat
gain: increase or develop
gate: restrict (school boys') movement to the dormitory or campus as a means of punishment
gauge: mix in specific proportions
gauge: measure precisely and against a standard
gauge: adapt to a specified measurement
gear: set the level or character of
gel: become a gel
gelatinise: convert into gelatinous form or jelly
gelatinise: become gelatinous or change into a jelly
gelatinize: coat with gelatin
geminate: arrange or combine in pairs
gentrify: renovate so as to make it conform to middle-class aspirations
germinate: cause to grow or sprout
get to: arrive at the point of
get used to: get or become familiar or accustomed with through experience
get worse: deteriorate in health
get: cause to move; cause to be in a certain position or condition
get: give certain properties to something
ghettoise: put in a ghetto
gild the lily: make unnecessary additions to what is already complete
ginger up: make more interesting or lively
give: occur
give the axe: terminate a relationship abruptly
give way: end resistance, as under pressure or force
glaciate: become frozen and covered with glaciers
glamorise: make glamorous and attractive
glass: put in a glass container
glass: become glassy or take on a glass-like appearance
gleam: appear briefly
globalise: make world-wide in scope or application
glorify: bestow glory upon
glorify: cause to seem more splendid
glorify: elevate or idealize, in allusion to Christ's transfiguration
glue: be fixed as if by glue
go: be abolished or discarded
go back: regain a former condition after a financial loss
go bad: become unfit for consumption or use
go by: be or act in accordance with
go off: be discharged or activated
go off: burst inward
go out: become extinguished
go to pot: become ruined
go: progress by being changed
go: follow a certain course
gradate: pass imperceptibly from one degree, shade, or tone into another
grain: form into grains
grain: become granular
gray: turn grey
gray: make grey
green: turn or become green
griddle: cook on a griddle
grill: cook over or under a grill
grow: cause to grow or develop
grow: become attached by or as if by the process of growth
grow: increase in size by natural process
grow: become larger, greater, or bigger; expand or gain
grow over: grow beyond or across
grow: develop and reach maturity; undergo maturation
grow: pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
gum: become sticky
guy: steady or support with a guy wire or cable
habilitate: qualify for teaching at a university in Europe
hack: fix a computer program piecemeal until it works
halt: stop the flow of a liquid
hand-dye: dye by hand
handcolor: color by hand
hang: suspend (meat) in order to get a gamey taste
hang in: be persistent, refuse to stop
hang up: interrupt a telephone conversation
happen: come into being; become reality
harden: become hard or harder
harden: make hard or harder
harden: cause to accept or become hardened to; habituate
harden: make fit
harden: harden by reheating and cooling in oil
harlequin: variegate with spots or marks
harmonise: bring (several things) into consonance or relate harmoniously
harmonise: bring into consonance or accord
harness: keep in check
harry: make a pillaging or destructive raid on (a place), as in wartimes
harshen: make harsh or harsher
harvest: remove from a culture or a living or dead body, as for the purposes of transplantation
hay: convert (plant material) into hay
heal: heal or recover
heap: fill to overflow
heat up: make more intense
heat: make hot or hotter
heat: gain heat or get hot
hedge: minimize loss or risk
heel: put a new heel on
heighten: make more extreme; raise in quantity, degree, or intensity
heighten: become more extreme
heighten: make (one's senses) more acute
help: improve; change for the better
henna: apply henna to one's hair
hibachi: cook over a hibachi grill
hold back: prevent the action or expression of
hold down: restrain
hold on: stop and wait, as if awaiting further instructions or developments
homestead: settle land given by the government and occupy it as a homestead
homogenise: cause to become equal or homogeneous as by mixing
homogenise: become homogeneous or similar, as by mixing
homogenise: break up the fat globules of
homologise: make homologous
hone: make perfect or complete
honeycomb: make full of cavities, like a honeycomb
hop up: make more powerful
hose: water with a hose
hue: take on color or become colored
hue: suffuse with color
hull: remove the hulls from
humidify: make (more) humid
humify: convert (plant remains) into humus
hurry: urge to an unnatural speed
hurt: cause damage or affect negatively
hush: run water over the ground to erode (soil), revealing the underlying strata and valuable minerals
hush: wash by removing particles
hush: become quiet or still; fall silent
hush: cause to be quiet or not talk
husk: remove the husks from
hydrate: cause to be hydrated; add water or moisture to
hydrate: become hydrated and combine with water
hydrate: supply water or liquid to in order to maintain a healthy balance
hydrogenate: combine or treat with or expose to hydrogen; add hydrogen to the molecule of (an unsaturated organic compound)
hydrolise: make a compound react with water and undergo hydrolysis
hydrolyse: undergo hydrolysis; decompose by reacting with water
hypophysectomise: remove the pituitary glands
ice: put ice on or put on ice
ice: cause to become ice or icy
illume: make lighter or brighter
imbue: fill, soak, or imbue totally
immaterialise: render immaterial or incorporeal
immigrate: migrate to a new environment
immigrate: come into a new country and change residency
immigrate: introduce or send as immigrants
immobilise: cause to be unable to move
immobilise: convert (assets) into fixed capital
impair: make worse or less effective
impregnate: fill, as with a certain quality
impregnate: infuse or fill completely
impress: dye (fabric) before it is spun
inaugurate: be a precursor of
incandesce: become incandescent or glow with heat
incandesce: cause to become incandescent or glow
incarnadine: make flesh-colored
incinerate: become reduced to ashes
include: add as part of something else; put in as part of a set, group, or category
incorporate: make into a whole or make part of a whole
increase: become bigger or greater in amount
increase: make bigger or more
incubate: grow under conditions that promote development
individualise: make personal or more personal
individuate: give individual shape or form to
indurate: become fixed or established
industrialise: develop industry; become industrial
industrialise: organize (the production of something) into an industry
inflate: cause prices to rise by increasing the available currency or credit
inflate: increase the amount or availability of, creating a rise in value
inform: give character or essence to
infuscate: darken with a brownish tinge, as of insect wings
infuse: undergo the process of infusion
infuse: let sit in a liquid to extract a flavor or to cleanse
inhibit: prohibit, forbid, or prevent from doing something
initiate: set in motion, start an event or prepare the way for
inject: to introduce (a new aspect or element)
ink: mark, coat, cover, or stain with ink
ink: fill with ink
innervate: stimulate to action
inoculate: introduce a microorganism into
inset: set or place in
inspirit: infuse with spirit
inspissate: become thick or thicker
inspissate: make thick or thicker
inspissate: make viscous or dense
insulate: protect from heat, cold, or noise by surrounding with insulating material
insulate: place or set apart
integrate: become one; become integrated
intensify: make the chemically affected part of (a negative) denser or more opaque in order produce a stronger contrast between light and dark
intercalate: insert (days) in a calendar
interlard: introduce one's writing or speech with certain expressions
interleave: intersperse alternately, as of protective covers for book illustrations
interlock: coordinate in such a way that all parts work together effectively
internationalise: make international in character
interstratify: arrange rocks in alternating strata
intervene: occur between other event or between certain points of time
introject: incorporate (attitudes or ideas) into one's personality unconsciously
introvert: turn inside
intumesce: expand abnormally
invalidate: take away the legal force of or render ineffective
invert: make an inversion (in a musical composition)
invert: reverse the position, order, relation, or condition of
invert: turn inside out or upside down
invigorate: give life or energy to
involve: make complex or intricate or complicated
iodinate: cause to combine with iodine
iodise: treat with iodine
ionate: add ions to
ionise: convert into ions
ionise: become converted into ions
iron out: settle or put right
irradiate: cast rays of light upon
irradiate: expose to radiation
irrigate: supply with water, as with channels or ditches or streams
irritate: excite to some characteristic action or condition, such as motion, contraction, or nervous impulse, by the application of a stimulus
Islamize: cause to conform to Islamic law
Islamize: convert to Islam
isolate: obtain in pure form
isolate: set apart from others
isomerise: change into an isomer
isomerise: cause to change into an isomer
iterate: run or be performed again
jaundice: distort adversely
jellify: become jelly
jellify: make into jelly
jug: stew in an earthenware jug
jump: increase suddenly and significantly
jump off: set off quickly, usually with success
jump: pass abruptly from one state or topic to another
jumpstart: start or re-start vigorously
justify: adjust the spaces between words
keep down: place a limit on the number of
keep out: remain outside
keep: prevent (food) from rotting
keratinise: become horny and impregnated with keratin
keratinise: convert into keratin
key: harmonize with or adjust to
key: regulate the musical pitch of
keynote: set the keynote of
kill: destroy a vitally essential quality of or in
kill: cause to cease operating
kill: tire out completely
kill: mark for deletion, rub off, or erase
kill: end or extinguish by forceful means
knock out: empty (as of tobacco) by knocking out
knock out: eliminate
knock out: destroy or break forcefully
ladder: come unraveled or undone as if by snagging
laicise: reduce to lay status
languish: lose vigor, health, or flesh, as through grief
lap: wash or flow against
lapidify: change into stone
lapse: end, at least for a long time
lather: form a lather
launch: begin with vigor
launder: convert illegally obtained funds into legal ones
lay out: get ready for a particular purpose or event
lay up: disable or confine, as with an illness
leach: remove substances from by a percolating liquid
league: unite to form a league
leak: enter or escape as through a hole or crack or fissure
leak: have an opening that allows light or substances to enter or go out
leapfrog: progress by large jumps instead of small increments
leave off: stop using
leave: leave unchanged or undisturbed or refrain from taking
leave: be survived by after one's death
legitimate: make (an illegitimate child) legitimate; declare the legitimacy of (someone)
lengthen: make longer
lengthen: become long or longer
lessen: wear off or die down
let: leave unchanged
let out: make (clothes) larger
level: become level or even
lifehack: make one's day-to-day activities more efficient
lift: rise upward, as from pressure or moisture
lift: remove (hair) by scalping
lift: remove from a surface
lift: take off or away by decreasing
lift: remove from a seedbed or from a nursery
lift: put an end to
lift: invigorate or heighten
ligate: bind chemically
lighten: become lighter
lighten: alleviate or remove (pressure or stress) or make less oppressive
lignify: convert into wood or cause to become woody
line: reinforce with fabric
line: fill plentifully
linearise: make linear or get into a linear form
liquefy: make (a solid substance) liquid, as by heating
locate: take up residence and become established
lock: become rigid or immoveable
loose: make loose or looser
loose: become loose or looser or less tight
lose: withdraw, as from reality
lose: be set at a disadvantage
louden: cause to become loud
lour: set lower
lour: make lower or quieter
lubricate: make slippery or smooth through the application of a lubricant
lustrate: purify by means of a ritual; also used in post-Communist countries to refer to the political cleansing of former officials
luxuriate: thrive profusely or flourish extensively
lyophilise: to dry (blood, serum, or tissue) by freezing in a high vacuum
lysogenize: become integrated into the genome of (a bacterium)
macerate: soften, usually by steeping in liquid, and cause to disintegrate as a result
macerate: become soft or separate and disintegrate as a result of excessive soaking
macerate: separate into constituents by soaking
madder: color a moderate to strong red
magnetise: make magnetic
make: develop into
make: favor the development of
make: cause to be enjoyable or pleasurable
make: change from one form into another
make unnecessary: make unnecessary an expenditure or effort
make: put in order or neaten
malt: treat with malt or malt extract
malt: convert into malt
malt: convert grain into malt
malt: turn into malt, become malt
mangle: alter so as to make unrecognizable
manifest: reveal its presence or make an appearance
manifold: make multiple copies of
manifold: combine or increase by multiplication
map: to establish a mapping (of mathematical elements or sets)
marbleise: make something look like marble
marinade: soak in marinade
mark: make or leave a mark on
mark off: set boundaries to and delimit
mark: insert punctuation marks into
maroon: leave stranded on a desert island without resources
marshal: make ready for action or use
masculinise: produce virilism in or cause to assume masculine characteristics, as through a hormonal imbalance or hormone therapy
masculinize: give a masculine appearance or character to
massacre: kill a large number of people indiscriminately
match: be equal or harmonize
mature: become due for repayment
mature: cause to ripen or develop fully
maximise: make as big or large as possible
maximise: make the most of
measure: express as a number or measure or quantity
mechanise: make mechanical
mechanise: make monotonous; make automatic or routine
mechanise: equip with armed and armored motor vehicles
melanise: convert into, or infiltrate with melanin
meld: lose its distinct outline or shape; blend gradually
mellow: make or grow (more) mellow
mellow: soften, make mellow
mellow: become more relaxed, easygoing, or genial
melt: reduce or cause to be reduced from a solid to a liquid state, usually by heating
mercerise: treat to strengthen and improve the luster
merge: join or combine
merge: become one
mess: make a mess of or create disorder in
metamorphose: change completely the nature or appearance of
metamorphose: change in outward structure or looks
meter: measure with a meter
metricate: convert from a non-metric to the metric system
metricise: express in the metric system
micro-cook: cook or heat in a microwave oven
mildew: become moldy; spoil due to humidity
militarise: adopt for military use
milk: take milk from female mammals
milk: add milk to
mill: grind with a mill
mineralize: transform (a metal) into an ore
mineralize: convert into a mineral substance
miniaturise: design or construct on a smaller scale
minimise: make small or insignificant
misalign: align imperfectly or badly
mist: become covered with mist
mistime: time incorrectly
mitigate: make less severe or harsh
mix: combine (electronic signals)
mix: add as an additional element or part
mobilise: cause to move around
moderate: make less fast or intense
moderate: make more temperate, acceptable, or suitable by adding something else
modernise: make repairs, renovations, revisions or adjustments to
modify: make less severe or harsh or extreme
modify: add a modifier to a constituent
modulate: adjust the pitch, tone, or volume of
modulate: vary the frequency, amplitude, phase, or other characteristic of (electromagnetic waves)
modulate: fix or adjust the time, amount, degree, or rate of
moil: moisten or soil
mollify: make less rigid or softer
moonshine: distill (alcohol) illegally; produce moonshine
moralise: improve the morals of
morph: change shape as via computer animation
morph: cause to change shape in a computer animation
motley: make motley; color with different colors
motley: make something more diverse and varied
mount: fix onto a backing, setting, or support
move: go or proceed from one point to another
muck: remove muck, clear away muck, as in a mine
muddy: make turbid
murk: make dark, dim, or gloomy
mushroom: grow and spread fast
mutate: undergo mutation
mystify: make mysterious
mythicise: make into a myth
narrow: become more focused on an area of activity or field of study
nationalise: put under state control or ownership
nationalise: make national in character or scope
naturalise: make more natural or lifelike
naturalise: adopt to another place
naturalise: make into a citizen
nazify: cause or force to adopt Nazism or a Nazi character
negate: make ineffective by counterbalancing the effect of
neutralise: make chemically neutral
nick: divide or reset the tail muscles of
nitrate: treat with nitric acid, so as to change an organic compound into a nitrate
nitrify: convert into nitric acid, nitrous acid, or nitrate, especially with the action of nitrobacteria
nitrify: treat (soil) with nitrates
nitrify: treat with nitrogen or a nitrogen compound
nobble: disable by drugging
nol.pros.: drop prosecution of by entering a nolle prosequi in the court records
normalise: become normal or return to its normal state
normalise: make normal or cause to conform to a norm or standard
novate: replace with something new, especially an old obligation by a new one
obliterate: do away with completely, without leaving a trace
obscure: reduce a vowel to a neutral one, such as a schwa
obsolesce: become obsolete, fall into disuse
obstinate: persist stubbornly
obtund: reduce the edge or violence of
occidentalise: make western in character
officialise: make official
opacify: become opaque
opacify: make opaque
opalise: replace or convert into opal
opalise: make opalescent
open: make available
open: become available
opsonize: make (cells) more susceptible to the action of phagocytes
optimise: modify to achieve maximum efficiency in storage capacity or time or cost
optimise: make optimal; get the most out of; use best
order: place in a certain order
order: bring order to or into
orient: adjust to a specific need or market
orientalise: make oriental in character
ossify: become bony
ossify: cause to become hard and bony
ossify: make rigid and set into a conventional pattern
outcrop: appear on the surface, come to the surface on the ground
outgrow: grow too large or too mature for
outmode: make unfashionable, outdated, or obsolete
ovenbake: bake in an oven
overboil: boil excessively
overcapitalise: capitalize beyond what the business or the profit-making prospects warrant
overcook: cook too long
overfill: fill beyond capacity
overgrow: become overgrown
overheat: get excessively and undesirably hot
overheat: make excessively or undesirably hot
overrefine: refine too much or with excess of subtlety
oversimplify: make too simple
overspecialise: become overly specialized
overturn: change radically
oxidate: add oxygen to or combine with oxygen
oxidate: enter into a combination with oxygen or become converted into an oxide
oxygenise: change (a compound) by increasing the proportion of the electronegative part; or change (an element or ion) from a lower to a higher positive valence: remove one or more electrons from (an atom, ion, or molecule)
oxygenise: dehydrogenate with oxygen
ozonise: convert (oxygen) into ozone
pace: measure (distances) by pacing
paganise: make pagan in character
pall: cause to become flat
pall: lose strength or effectiveness; become or appear boring, insipid, or tiresome (to)
palsy: affect with palsy
pan roast: roast in a pan
pan-broil: broil in a pan
pan-fry: fry in a pan
paralyse: make powerless and unable to function
paralyse: cause to be paralyzed and immobile
parch: cause to wither or parch from exposure to heat
pare: decrease gradually or bit by bit
partition: separate or apportion into sections
pass away: go out of existence
pasteurise: heat food in order to kill harmful microorganisms
patch: mend by putting a patch on
patch: repair by adding pieces
patent: make open to sight or notice
peep: appear as though from hiding
peg: stabilize (the price of a commodity or an exchange rate) by legislation or market operations
people: fill with people
peptise: disperse in a medium into a colloidal state
perfuse: force a fluid through (a body part or tissue)
perfuse: cause to spread or flush or flood through, over, or across
peroxide: bleach with peroxide
pervaporate: cause (a liquid) to evaporate through a semipermeable membrane
pervaporate: evaporate through a semipermeable membrane
pestle: grind, mash or pulverize in a mortar
petrify: cause to become stonelike or stiff or dazed and stunned from fright
phase: adjust so as to be in a synchronized condition
pick: remove in small bits
pick up: lift out or reflect from a background
pick up: improve significantly; go from bad to good
pickle: preserve in a pickling liquid
piece-dye: dye after weaving
piggyback: bring into alignment with
pigment: color or dye with a pigment
pigment: acquire pigment; become colored or imbued
pinch: irritate as if by a nip, pinch, or tear
pinion: cut the wings off (of birds)
pinkify: make pink
pit: remove the pits from
pitch: set to a certain pitch
plasticise: make plastic, as by the addition of a plasticizer
plasticise: become plastic, as by having a plasticizer added
play out: become spent or exhausted
plug: insert as a plug
plug: insert a plug into
plug: replace the center of a coin with a baser metal
plug: persist in working hard
plumb: adjust with a plumb line so as to make vertical
plume: form a plume
poach: cook in a simmering liquid
pod: take something out of its shell or pod
point: repair the joints of bricks
point: give a point to
polarise: become polarized in a conflict or contrasting situation
polarise: cause to concentrate about two conflicting or contrasting positions
polarise: cause to vibrate in a definite pattern
pole: deoxidize molten metals by stirring them with a wooden pole
politicise: give a political character to
polychrome: color with many colors; make polychrome
polymerise: cause (a compound) to polymerize
polymerise: undergo polymerization
pooch: round one's lips as if intending to kiss
pop: burst open with a sharp, explosive sound
pop: cause to burst with a loud, explosive sound
pop out: come out suddenly or forcefully
popularise: make understandable to the general public
populate: fill with inhabitants
port: modify (software) for use on a different machine or platform
postdate: establish something as being later relative to something else
potentiate: increase the effect of or act synergistically with (a drug or a physiological or biochemical phenomenon)
pound: break down and crush by beating, as with a pestle
powder: make into a powder by breaking up or cause to become dust
powderise: become powder or dust
precipitate: separate as a fine suspension of solid particles
precondition: put into the required condition beforehand
predecease: die before; die earlier than
preheat: heat beforehand
preisolate: isolate beforehand
pressure-cook: cook in a pressure cooker
pressurise: increase the pressure in or of
pressurise: maintain a certain pressure
pressurise: increase the pressure on a gas or liquid
prim: assume a prim appearance
prim: contract one's lips
prime: insert a primer into (a gun, mine, or charge) preparatory to detonation or firing
prime: fill with priming liquid
privatise: change from governmental to private control or ownership
process: subject to a process or treatment, with the aim of readying for some purpose, improving, or remedying a condition
professionalise: make professional or give a professional character to
professionalise: become professional or proceed in a professional manner or in an activity for pay or as a means of livelihood
proliferate: grow rapidly
proliferate: cause to grow or increase rapidly
proof: make resistant (to harm)
proof: activate by mixing with water and sometimes sugar or milk
proportion: give pleasant proportions to
proportion: adjust in size relative to other things
prostrate: render helpless or defenseless
provide: take measures in preparation for
puff up: make larger or distend
pull: take away
pullulate: become abundant; increase rapidly
pulp: reduce to pulp
punctuate: interrupt periodically
puncture: cause to lose air pressure or collapse by piercing
puncture: be pierced or punctured
purge: rid of impurities
purge: make pure or free from sin or guilt
purify: become clean or pure or free of guilt and sin
purple: become purple
purse: contract one's lips into a rounded shape
put on: add to the odometer
put on: add to something existing
putrefy: become putrid; decay with an offensive smell
pyramid: increase rapidly and progressively step by step on a broad base
quadruple: increase fourfold
qualify: make more specific
quantify: use as a quantifier
quarantine: place into enforced isolation, as for medical reasons
quell: suppress or crush completely
quench: reduce the degree of (luminescence or phosphorescence) in (excited molecules or a material) by adding a suitable substance
quench: cool (hot metal) by plunging into cold water or other liquid
quintuple: increase fivefold
rack up: supply a rack with feed for (horses or other animals)
raddle: mark or paint with raddle
radiate: issue or emerge in rays or waves
radiate: send out real or metaphoric rays
radicalize: make more radical in social or political outlook
rag: break into lumps before sorting
raise: raise the level or amount of something
raise: bring (a surface or a design) into relief and cause to project
rally: return to a former condition
randomise: arrange in random order
rarefy: lessen the density or solidity of
rarefy: make more subtle or refined
rasterize: convert (an image) into pixels
rationalise: remove irrational quantities from
re-assume: take on again, as after a time lapse
re-incorporate: incorporate again or anew
react: undergo a chemical reaction; react with another substance under certain conditions
reactivate: activate (an old file) anew
readapt: adapt anew
readapt: adjust anew
readjust: adjust again after an initial failure
realign: align anew or better
ream: enlarge with a reamer
ream: remove by making a hole or by boring
reappear: appear again
rearrange: put into a new order or arrangement
recede: become faint or more distant
receive: convert into sounds or pictures
recharge: charge anew
reclaim: make useful again; transform from a useless or uncultivated state
reclaim: bring, lead, or force to abandon a wrong or evil course of life, conduct, and adopt a right one
recode: put into a different code; rearrange mentally
recombine: to combine or put together again
recombine: cause genetic recombination
recombine: undergo genetic recombination
recommence: cause to start anew
recommence: begin again
recommend: make attractive or acceptable
recondition: bring into an improved condition
reconstitute: construct or form anew or provide with a new structure
reconstruct: cause somebody to adapt or reform socially or politically
reconstruct: do over, as of (part of) a house
reconvert: convert back
rectify: convert into direct current
rectify: reduce to a fine, unmixed, or pure state; separate from extraneous matter or cleanse from impurities
recur: happen or occur again
red-ink: mark with red ink
redden: make red
redden: turn red or redder
redevelop: change the plans for the use of (land)
redouble: make twice as great or intense
redouble: double in magnitude, extent, or intensity
redouble: double again
redound: contribute
redound: have an effect for good or ill
reduce: make less complex
reduce: destress and thus weaken a sound when pronouncing it
reduce: make smaller
reduce: reduce in size; reduce physically
reduce: narrow or limit
reef: reduce (a sail) by taking in a reef
reef: roll up (a portion of a sail) in order to reduce its area
reenforce: make stronger
refine: make more precise or increase the discriminatory powers of
refine: attenuate or reduce in vigor, strength, or intensity by polishing or purifying
refine: treat or prepare so as to put in a usable condition
reflate: economics: raise demand, expand the money supply, or raise prices, after a period of deflation
reflate: economics: experience reflation
reflate: inflate again
reflate: become inflated again
refocus: put again into focus or focus more sharply
reform: make changes for improvement in order to remove abuse and injustices
reform: improve by alteration or correction of errors or defects and put into a better condition
reform: break up the molecules of
reform: produce by cracking
reform: change for the better
refrigerate: cool or chill in or as if in a refrigerator
refrigerate: preserve by chilling
regenerate: amplify (an electron current) by causing part of the power in the output circuit to act upon the input circuit
regenerate: replace (tissue or a body part) through the formation of new tissue
regenerate: form or produce anew
regenerate: be formed or shaped anew
regenerate: return to life; get or give new life or energy
regress: go back to a statistical means
regress: get worse or fall back to a previous condition
regress: go back to a previous state
regularise: make regular or more regular
reheat: heat again
reincarnate: cause to appear in a new form
reintegrate: integrate again
rejuvenate: develop youthful topographical features
rejuvenate: make younger or more youthful
relax: make less active or fast
relax: make less taut
reline: put new lines on
relocate: move or establish in a new location
relocate: become established in a new location
remain: stay the same; remain in a certain state
remit: diminish or abate
remit: make slack as by lessening tension or firmness
remold: give new treads to (a tire)
remove: get rid of something abstract
remove: remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract
render: cause to become
render: melt (fat or lard) in order to separate out impurities
renovate: restore to a previous or better condition
reorient: set or arrange in a new or different determinate position
repercuss: cause repercussions; have an unwanted effect
replace: substitute a person or thing for (another that is broken or inefficient or lost or no longer working or yielding what is expected)
repress: block the action of
republish: revive (a cancelled will or a libel)
rerun: cause to perform again
rescale: establish on a new scale
reset: set to zero
resettle: settle in a new place
reshuffle: reorganize and assign posts to different people
resile: return to the original position or state after being stretched or compressed
resize: change the size of; make the size more appropriate
resole: put a new sole on
restart: take up or begin anew
restrengthen: make strong again
resublime: sublime (a compound) once again
result: come about or follow as a consequence
resume: return to a previous location or condition
resurface: appear again
resurrect: restore from a depressed, inactive, or unused state
resuspend: put back into suspension
ret: place (flax, hemp, or jute) in liquid so as to promote loosening of the fibers from the woody tissue
retard: cause to move more slowly or operate at a slower rate
retouch: give retouches to (hair)
retouch: alter so as to produce a more desirable appearance
retrench: make a reduction, as in one's workforce
retrofit: substitute new or modernized parts or equipment for older ones
rev up: speed up
rev: increase the number of rotations per minute
revalue: value anew
revamp: to patch up or renovate; repair or restore
revamp: provide (a shoe) with a new vamp
reverberate: treat, process, heat, melt, or refine in a reverberatory furnace
revert: undergo reversion, as in a mutation
revitalise: give new life or vigor to
revive: be brought back to life, consciousness, or strength
ridge: form into a ridge
rig: equip with sails or masts
rigidify: become rigid
rip off: remove by pulling or ripping violently and forcefully
ripen: grow ripe
ritualise: make or evolve into a ritual
roast: cook with dry heat, usually in an oven
roll: shape by rolling
roll: take the shape of a roll or cylinder
roll in: pour or flow in a steady stream
roll up: form a cylinder by rolling
roll: show certain properties when being rolled
roll: boil vigorously
romanticise: make romantic in style
roost: settle down or stay, as if on a roost
root: take root and begin to grow
root: cause to take roots
root: become settled or established and stable in one's residence or life style
rotate: plant or grow in a fixed cyclic order of succession
rough-dry: dry without smoothing or ironing
round: express as a round number
round: make round
rubber: coat or impregnate with rubber
rubify: make ruby red
rubric: adorn with ruby red color
ruddle: redden as if with a red ocher color
ruggedise: produce in a version designed to withstand rough usage
ruin: fall into ruin
run: change from one state to another
run: cause to perform
run out: become used up; be exhausted
run out: exhaust the supply of
run up: pile up (debts or scores)
run: become undone
rust: become coated with oxide
rusticate: lend a rustic character to
saccharify: convert into a simple soluble fermentable sugar by hydrolyzing a sugar derivative or complex carbohydrate
salinate: add salt to
sallow: cause to become sallow
salt: preserve with salt
salt: add zest or liveliness to
sandbag: protect or strengthen with sandbags; stop up
sanitise: make less offensive or more acceptable by removing objectionable features
saponify: convert into soap by hydrolizing an ester into an acid and alcohol as a result of treating it with an alkali
saponify: become converted into soap by being hydrolized into an acid and alcohol as a result of being treated with an alkali
saturate: cause (a chemical compound, vapour, solution, magnetic material) to unite with the greatest possible amount of another substance
sauce: add zest or flavor to, make more interesting
saute: fry briefly over high heat
scald: burn with a hot liquid or steam
scald: heat to the boiling point
scald: treat with boiling water
scale: measure with or as if with scales
scale: size or measure according to a scale
scale down: reduce proportionally
scale up: increase proportionally
scallop: shape or cut in scallops
scalp: remove the scalp of
schematise: give conventional form to
scorch: become scorched or singed under intense heat or dry conditions
scorch: destroy completely by or as if by fire
scorch: make very hot and dry
scorch: become superficially burned
scramble: make unintelligible
scrap: make into scrap or refuse
screen off: partition by means of a divider, such as a screen
scroll: move through text or graphics in order to display parts that do not fit on the screen
seclude: keep away from others
secularise: make secular and draw away from a religious orientation
see through: remain with until completion
seed: sprinkle with silver iodide particles to disperse and cause rain
seed: remove the seeds from
seed: inoculate with microorganisms
seethe: foam as if boiling
segregate: separate or isolate (one thing) from another and place in a group apart from others
semi-automatise: make semiautomatic
sensibilise: make sensitive or aware
sensitise: make (a material) sensitive to light, often of a particular colour, by coating it with a photographic emulsion
sensitise: make sensitive to a drug or allergen
sentimentalise: make (someone or something) sentimental or imbue with sentimental qualities
sentimentalise: look at with sentimentality or turn into an object of sentiment
sequester: undergo sequestration by forming a stable compound with an ion
serialise: arrange serially
service: make fit for use
set: put into a certain state; cause to be in a certain state
set: set to a certain position or cause to operate correctly
set aside: make inoperative or stop
set in: become established
set off: set in motion or cause to begin
settle: form a community
settle: establish or develop as a residence
settle: become resolved, fixed, established, or quiet
sexualise: make sexual, endow with sex, attribute sex to
shade: pass from one quality such as color to another by a slight degree
shade: vary slightly
shake: undermine or cause to waver
shake: bring to a specified condition by or as if by shaking
shallow: become shallow
shallow: make shallow
sharpen: raise the pitch of (musical notes)
sharpen: become sharp or sharper
sharpen: make crisp or more crisp and precise
shatter: break into many pieces
shatter: cause to break into many pieces
shatter: damage or destroy
shear: become deformed by forces tending to produce a shearing strain
shell: remove from its shell or outer covering
shift: change gears
shift: move and exchange for another
shift: move from one setting or context to another
shift: change in quality
shift: change phonetically as part of a systematic historical change
shirr: bake (eggs) in their shells until they are set
shoehorn: fit for a specific purpose even when not well suited
shoetree: stretch (a shoe) on a shoetree
shoot up: rise dramatically
shorten: make short or shorter
shorten: become short or shorter
shorten: make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration
shrink: decrease in size, range, or extent
shrink: wither, as with a loss of moisture
shuck: remove the shucks from
shuck: remove from the shell
shush: silence (someone) by uttering `shush!'
silence: keep from expression, for example by threats or pressure
silver: turn silver
silver: make silver in color
simmer: boil slowly at low temperature
simplify: make simpler or easier or reduce in complexity or extent
singe: burn superficially or lightly
sit tight: maintain the same position; wait it out
size: make to a size; bring to a suitable size
sizzle: burn or sear with a sizzling sound
skew: turn or place at an angle
skip town: disappear without notifying anyone (idiom)
slack: release tension on
slack: become slow or slower
slack: cause to heat and crumble by treatment with water
slacken: become looser or slack
slag: convert into slag
slash: cut drastically
slenderise: make slender or appear to be slender
slick up: make neat, smart, or trim
slip: insert inconspicuously or quickly or quietly
sliver: form into slivers
sliver: break up into splinters or slivers
slow: cause to proceed more slowly
smash: break suddenly into pieces, as from a violent blow
smolder: burn slowly and without a flame
smoothen: become smooth
smut: stain with a dirty substance, such as soot
smut: become affected with smut
smut: make obscene
snafu: cause to be in a state of complete confusion
snap: close with a snapping motion
snowball: increase or accumulate at a rapidly accelerating rate
soak: heat a metal prior to working it
soar: go or move upward
sober: cause to become sober
sober: become sober after excessive alcohol consumption
sober: become more realistic
socialise: make conform to socialist ideas and philosophies
socialise: prepare for social life
soften: become soft or softer
soften: make soft or softer
solemnise: make solemn and grave
solidify: become solid
solidify: make solid or more solid; cause to solidify
solvate: undergo solvation or convert into a solvate
solvate: cause a solvation in (a substance)
sophisticate: make more complex or refined
sorcerise: transform or change by means of sorcery
soundproof: insulate against noise
souse: cook in a marinade
specialise: suit to a special purpose
spell: take turns working
spice: make more interesting or flavorful
spike: manifest a sharp increase
spike: bring forth a spike or spikes
spill: reduce the pressure of wind on (a sail)
spin off: produce as a consequence of something larger
spin: prolong or extend
spin-dry: dry (clothes) by spinning and making use of centrifugal forces
spiritualise: purify from the corrupting influences of the world
splat: flatten on impact
splat: split open and flatten for cooking
sporulate: convert into spores
spot: mark with a spot or spots so as to allow easy recognition
spot: become spotted
spotlight: illuminate with a spotlight, as in the theater
spray-dry: dry by bringing into the form of a spray, through contact with a hot gas
sputter: cause to undergo a process in which atoms are removed
square: make square
stabilise: become stable or more stable
stabilise: make stable and keep from fluctuating or put into an equilibrium
stain: produce or leave stains
stain: color for microscopic study
stain: color with a liquid dye or tint
stalinise: transform in accordance with Stalin's policies
stall: deliberately delay an event or action
stamp: destroy or extinguish as if by stamping with the foot
standardise: cause to conform to standard or norm
starch: stiffen with starch
stave in: break in the staves (of)
stave: burst or force (a hole) into something
steam: cook something by letting steam pass over it
steamroll: make level or flat with a steamroller
steepen: make steeper
steepen: become steeper
stem: remove the stem from
step: move or proceed as if by steps into a new situation
stew: cook slowly and for a long time in liquid
stiffen: make stiff or stiffer
stiffen: become stiff or stiffer
stigmatise: mark with a stigma or stigmata
still: make motionless
stir fry: fry very quickly over high heat
stonewall: engage in delaying tactics or refuse to cooperate
straighten: make straight or straighter
strangle: die from strangulation
strangulate: become constricted
strap: sharpen with a strap
stratify: form layers or strata
strengthen: gain strength
stretch: become longer by being stretched and pulled
stretch: extend the scope or meaning of; often unduly
striate: mark with striae or striations
strike: cause to form (an electric arc) between electrodes of an arc lamp
strike a blow: affect adversely
strike out: set out on a course of action
string: add as if on a string
strip: draw the last milk (of cows)
strip: remove a constituent from a liquid
strip: remove the thread (of screws)
structure: give a structure to
stub: clear of weeds by uprooting them
stuff: fill tightly with a material
stuff: treat with grease, fill, and prepare for mounting
stump: remove tree stumps from
stun: make senseless or dizzy by or as if by a blow
subdivide: divide into smaller and smaller pieces
subdivide: form into subdivisions
subdue: make subordinate, dependent, or subservient
sublimate: vaporize and then condense right back again
sublimate: change or cause to change directly from a solid into a vapor without first melting
substantiate: solidify, firm, or strengthen
subtilise: make (senses) more keen
subtract: take off or away
suburbanise: make suburban in character
suburbanise: take on suburban character
suffer: get worse
suffuse: to become overspread as with a fluid, a colour, a gleam of light
sulfate: convert into a sulfate
sulfur: treat with sulphur in order to preserve
summerise: prepare for summer
sunder: break apart or in two, using violence
superannuate: retire or become ineligible because of old age or infirmity
superannuate: become obsolete
supervene: take place as an additional or unexpected development
supple: make pliant and flexible
suppress: lessen to the point of stopping
surge: see one's performance improve
suspend: cause to be held in suspension in a fluid
sweeten: make sweeter, more pleasant, or more agreeable
swell: increase in size, magnitude, number, or intensity
swell: cause to become swollen
swing: alternate dramatically between high and low values
symmetrise: make symmetric
sync: make synchronous and adjust in time or manner
synchronise: cause to indicate the same time or rate
synchronise: operate simultaneously
syncopate: omit a sound or letter in a word
syncopate: modify the rhythm by stressing or accenting a weak beat
syncretise: unite (beliefs or conflicting principles)
syncretise: become fused
systematise: arrange according to a system or reduce to a system
tabulate: shape or cut with a flat surface
take: ascertain or determine by measuring, computing or take a reading from a dial
take: be seized or affected in a specified way
take away: take out or remove
take effect: go into effect or become effective or operative
take in: make (clothes) smaller
take off: take away or remove
take up: pursue or resume
tan: treat skins and hides with tannic acid so as to convert them into leather
tank: treat in a tank
taper: diminish gradually
taper off: become smaller or less active
teach: accustom gradually to some action or attitude
telescope: make smaller or shorter
tell on: produce an effect or strain on somebody
temper: adjust the pitch (of pianos)
temporise: draw out a discussion or process in order to gain time
tender: make tender or more tender as by marinating, pounding, or applying a tenderizer
tense: increase the tension on
terrace: make into terraces as for cultivation
territorialise: extend by adding territory
territorialise: place on a territorial basis
thin: make thin or thinner
thin: lose thickness; become thin or thinner
thin out: make sparse
thin out: become sparser
think: bring into a given condition by mental preoccupation
thoriate: impregnate with thorium oxide to increase thermionic emission
thrombose: become blocked by a thrombus
tie: form a knot or bow in
tie: limit or restrict to
tie-dye: dye after knotting the fabric to produce an irregular pattern
tighten: become tight or tighter
time: adjust so that a force is applied and an action occurs at the desired time
time: regulate or set the time of
tin: prepare (a metal) for soldering or brazing by applying a thin layer of solder to the surface
tinct: color lightly
tincture: stain or tinge with a slight amount of a color
tip: remove the tip from
tip: mark with a tip
titrate: measure by (the volume or concentration of solutions) by titration
tone: change to a color image
tone: change the color or tone of
top off: fill to the point of almost overflowing
top: finish up or conclude
topdress: scatter manure or fertilizer over (land)
torch: burn maliciously, as by arson
total: damage beyond the point of repair
totalise: make into a total
toughen: make tough or tougher
transaminate: undergo transfer from one compound to another
transaminate: change (an amino group) by transferring it from one compound to another
transcribe: convert the genetic information in (a strand of DNA) into a strand of RNA, especially messenger RNA
transduce: cause transduction (of energy forms)
transfer: transfer from one place or period to another
transform: subject to a mathematical transformation
transform: increase or decrease (an alternating current or voltage)
transform: change (a bacterial cell) into a genetically distinct cell by the introduction of DNA from another cell of the same or closely related species
transform: convert (one form of energy) to another
transform: change from one form or medium into another
transform: change or alter in form, appearance, or nature
transition: make or undergo a transition (from one state or system to another)
transition: cause to convert or undergo a transition
transitivise: make transitive
translate: change the position of (figures or bodies) in space without rotation
transmute: alter the nature of (elements)
transpire: exude water vapor
transpire: come about, happen, or occur
transpire: come to light; become known
transpose: change key
transubstantiate: change (the Eucharist bread and wine) into the body and blood of Christ
treble: increase threefold
trifurcate: divide into three
trim: adjust (sails on a ship) so that the wind is optimally used
troubleshoot: solve problems
true: make level, square, balanced, or concentric
tumble: fall suddenly and sharply
tumble: suffer a sudden downfall, overthrow, or defeat
tumble: put clothes in a tumbling barrel, where they are whirled about in hot air, usually with the purpose of drying
tumble dry: dry by spinning with hot air inside a cylinder
tumefy: cause to become very swollen
tune: adjust the pitches of (musical instruments)
tune: adjust for (better) functioning
turn: become officially one year older
turn: change color
turn around: improve dramatically
turn down: take a downward direction
turn on: become hostile towards
turn out: come, usually in answer to an invitation or summons
turn the tables: cause a complete reversal of the circumstances
turn to: direct one's interest or attention towards; go into
twig: branch out in a twiglike manner
twin: grow as twins
twist: form into twists
uglify: make ugly
ulcerate: undergo ulceration
unbrace: remove from tension
unbrace: remove a brace or braces from
uncloak: remove a cloak from
undergrow: grow below something
undulate: increase and decrease in volume or pitch, as if in waves
unfurl: unroll, unfold, or spread out or be unrolled, unfolded, or spread out from a furled state
unhinge: remove the hinges from
uniformise: make uniform
unitise: separate or classify into units
unlock: become unlocked
unsanctify: remove the sanctification from or make unsanctified
unscramble: make intelligible
unsex: remove the qualities typical of one's sex
untune: cause to be out of tune
up: raise
update: modernize or bring up to date
update: bring to the latest state of technology or supply with the latest data
upgrade: to improve what was old or outdated
upgrade: give better travel conditions to
upgrade: get better travel conditions
upset: disturb the balance or stability of
urbanise: make more industrial or city-like
urbanise: impart urban habits, ways of life, or responsibilities upon
utilize: convert (from an investment trust to a unit trust)
validate: make valid or confirm the validity of
variegate: change the appearance of, especially by marking with different colors
vascularise: become vascular and have vessels that circulate fluids
vascularise: make vascular
veer: shift to a clockwise direction
vegetate: grow like a plant
vegetate: produce vegetation
vegetate: establish vegetation on
vegetate: grow or spread abnormally
ventilate: furnish with an opening to allow air to circulate or gas to escape
verbalise: convert into a verb
verbify: make into a verb
verdigris: color verdigris
vermilion: color vermilion
vesiculate: cause to become vesicular or full of air cells
vesiculate: become vesicular or full of air cells
vinify: convert a juice into wine by fermentation
visit: assail
visualise: make visible
vitalise: make more lively or vigorous
vitalise: give life to
vitrify: undergo vitrification; become glassy or glass-like
vitrify: change into glass or a glass-like substance by applying heat
vivify: make more striking or animated
void: clear (a room, house, place) of occupants or empty or clear (a place or receptacle) of something
volatilise: make volatile; cause to pass off in a vapor
vouch: give supporting evidence
vulcanise: undergo vulcanization
vulcanise: subject to vulcanization
vulgarise: debase and make vulgar
wane: decrease in phase
wane: become smaller
warm: make warm or warmer
warm up: become more friendly or open
warm: get warm or warmer
wash: form by erosion
wash away: eliminate
wash out: deplete of strength or vitality
wash out: drain off the color in the course of laundering
wash out: lose color in the process of being washed
wash up: be carried somewhere by water or as if by water
wash: remove by the application of water or other liquid and soap or some other cleaning agent
water: fill with tears
water down: thin by adding water to
water down: make less strong or intense
wave off: dismiss as insignificant
weaken: become weaker
weaken: lessen the strength of
weaponize: make into or use as a weapon or a potential weapon
wear on: pass slowly (of time)
wear: deteriorate through use or stress
weather: change under the action or influence of the weather
weatherproof: make resistant to bad weather
weatherstrip: provide with weatherstripping
weed: clear of weeds
weld: unite closely or intimately
welt: put a welt on
wet: cause to become wet
white out: widen the interlinear spacing by inserting leads
white: turn white
whiteout: lose daylight visibility in heavy fog, snow, or rain
widen: become broader or wider or more extensive
widen: make wider
widow: cause to be without a spouse
wilt: lose strength
winterise: prepare for winter
work: arrive at a certain condition through repeated motion
work in: add by mixing or blending on or attaching
work out: come up with
yellow: turn yellow
zero: adjust (an instrument or device) to zero value
zero: adjust (as by firing under test conditions) the zero of (a gun)