The word "lengthen" is spelled with the letter combination "th" that represents the phoneme /ð/. This sound is voiceless in the word "length" and voiced in the word "lengthen." Additionally, the letter "e" represents the phoneme /e/ in the second syllable, making the pronunciation "LENG-thən" or /ˈlɛŋ.θən/. The spelling of "lengthen" follows the pattern of many English words that have silent letters and certain letter combinations that represent specific sounds.
Lengthen is a transitive verb that refers to the act of making something longer or increasing its length. It typically involves extending an object or duration beyond its original size or time frame. The process of lengthening can be applied to physical objects, time periods, or abstract concepts.
In the context of physical objects, lengthening involves altering the size or dimensions of an item to make it longer. This may entail adding or attaching additional parts to extend its overall length. For example, a tailor may lengthen a skirt by sewing in extra fabric or a carpenter may lengthen a table by attaching extension pieces.
When referring to time periods, lengthening indicates the act of extending the duration of something. This could involve adding additional time to a meeting or event, delaying a deadline, or prolonging a conversation. By increasing the time frame, individuals are given more opportunities or resources to complete activities or make decisions.
Lengthening can also be applied to abstract concepts, such as discussions or explanations. In this context, it implies expanding or elaborating on an idea, thereby providing more detail or in-depth analysis. This allows for a more comprehensive understanding of a topic or situation.
Overall, lengthening involves stretching or elongating something to enhance its size, duration, or level of detail.
To make longer; to draw out; to grow longer.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "lengthen" originated from the combination of two Middle English words: "length" and "-en".
The term "length" evolved from the Old English word "lengþu", which had the same meaning. It is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "langithō", meaning "length" or "long".
The suffix "-en" is a common verb-forming element in English, used to indicate the action of making something longer. It comes from the Old English "-nian", which signifies "to cause to be".
Therefore, "lengthen" essentially means "to cause or make longer" and has retained its meaning and form throughout the centuries.