élargir

to widen, to broaden

verb eh-lar-ZHEER Rare

Also means

to enlarge, to release (from prison)

Usage Note

Élargir covers both concrete widening (élargir une route = to widen a road) and abstract broadening (élargir ses horizons = to broaden one's horizons). In legal and literary language it also means to release a prisoner or to free from confinement. The related noun is l'élargissement (widening, broadening, release).

Examples

"Ils ont décidé d'élargir la route principale."

Natural Translation

They decided to widen the main road.

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