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Expand vs Compress - What's the difference?

expand | compress | Antonyms |

Compress is a antonym of expand.



In transitive terms the difference between expand and compress

is that expand is to express (something) at length and/or in detail while compress is to abridge.

In intransitive terms the difference between expand and compress

is that expand is to feel generous or optimistic while compress is to be pressed together or folded by compression into a more economic, easier format.

As a noun compress is

(folded_cloth) A multiply folded piece of cloth, a pouch of ice etc., used to apply to a patient's skin, cover the dressing of wounds, and placed with the aid of a bandage to apply pressure on an injury.

expand

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • (label) To change (something) from a smaller form and/or size to a larger one.
  • (label) To increase the extent, number, volume or scope of (something).
  • * (John Milton) (1608-1674)
  • Then with expanded wings he steers his flight.
  • (label) To express (something) at length and/or in detail.
  • To rewrite (an expression) as a longer, yet equivalent sum of terms.
  • To multiply both the numerator and the denominator of a fraction by the same natural number yielding a fraction of equal value
  • (label) To (be) change(d) from a smaller form/size to a larger one.
  • (label) To (be) increase(d) in extent, number, volume or scope.
  • (label) To speak or write at length or in detail.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1899, author=(Stephen Crane)
  • , title=, chapter=1 , passage=There was some laughter, and Roddle was left free to expand his ideas on the periodic visits of cowboys to the town. “Mason Rickets, he had ten big punkins a-sittin' in front of his store, an' them fellers from the Upside-down-F ranch shot 'em up […].”}}
  • (label) To feel generous or optimistic.
  • Synonyms

    * open out, spread, spread out, unfold * enlarge * (to express at length or in detail) elaborate (on), expand on

    Antonyms

    * contract * contract * factor

    Derived terms

    * expandable * expander

    compress

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) compresser, from compressare 'to press hard/together', from compressus, the past participle of comprimere 'to compress', itself from com- 'together' + premere 'to press'

    Verb

  • To make smaller; to press or squeeze together, or to make something occupy a smaller space or volume.
  • The force required to compress a spring varies linearly with the displacement.
  • * D. Webster
  • events of centuries compressed within the compass of a single life
  • * Melmoth
  • The same strength of expression, though more compressed , runs through his historical harangues.
  • To be pressed together or folded by compression into a more economic, easier format.
  • ''Our new model compresses easily, ideal for storage and travel
  • To condense into a more economic, easier format.
  • This chart compresses the entire audit report into a few lines on a single diagram.
  • To abridge.
  • If you try to compress the entire book into a three-sentence summary, you will lose a lot of information.
  • (technology) To make digital information smaller by encoding it using fewer bits.
  • (obsolete) To embrace sexually.
  • (Alexander Pope)
    Synonyms
    * (press together ): compact, condense, pack, press, squash, squeeze * (be pressed together ): contract * (condense, abridge ): abridge, condense, shorten, truncate
    Antonyms
    * (press together ): expand * (be pressed together ): decontract * (condense, abridge ): expand, lengthen * (make computing data smaller ): uncompress
    Derived terms
    * compressed * compressed air * compressedly * compressibility * compressible * compression * compressive * compressive strength * compressor * decompress

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) compresse, from compresser 'to compress', from Late (etyl) compressare 'to press hard/together', from compressus, the past participle of comprimere 'to compress', itself from com- 'together' + premere 'to press'

    Noun

    (es)
  • A multiply folded piece of cloth, a pouch of ice etc., used to apply to a patient's skin, cover the dressing of wounds, and placed with the aid of a bandage to apply pressure on an injury.
  • He held a cold compress over the sprain.
  • A machine for compressing