to bring into existence by shaping or changing material, combining parts, etc.: to make a dress; to make a channel; to make a work of art.
to produce; cause to exist or happen; bring about: to make trouble; to make war.
to cause to be or become; render: to make someone happy.
to appoint or name: The president made her his special envoy.
to put in the proper condition or state, as for use; fix; prepare: to make a bed; to make dinner.
to bring into a certain form: to make bricks out of clay.
to convert from one state, condition, category, etc., to another: to make a virtue of one's vices.
to cause, induce, or compel: to make a horse jump a barrier.
to give rise to; occasion: It's not worth making a fuss over such a trifle.
to produce, earn, or win for oneself: to make a good salary; to make one's fortune in oil.
to write or compose: to make a short poem for the occasion.
to draw up, as a legal document; draft: to make a will.
to do; effect: to make a bargain.
to establish or enact; put into existence: to make laws.
to become by development; prove to be: You'll make a good lawyer.
to form in the mind, as a judgment or estimate: to make a decision.
to judge or interpret, as to the truth, nature, meaning, etc. (often followed by of): What do you make of it?
to estimate; reckon: to make the distance at ten miles.
to bring together separate parts so as to produce a whole; compose; form: to make a matched set.
to amount to; bring up the total to: Two plus two makes four. That makes an even dozen.
to serve as: to make good reading.
to be sufficient to constitute: One story does not make a writer.
to be adequate or suitable for: This wool will make a warm sweater.
to assure the success or fortune of: a deal that could make or break him; Seeing her made my day.
to deliver, utter, or put forth: to make a stirring speech.
to go or travel at a particular speed: to make 60 miles an hour.
to arrive at or reach; attain: The ship made port on Friday. Do you think he'll make 80?
to arrive in time for: to make the first show.
to arrive in time to be a passenger on (a plane, boat, bus, train, etc.): If you hurry, you can make the next flight.
Informal.
to gain or acquire a position within: He made the big time.
to receive mention or appear in or on: The robbery made the front page.
to gain recognition or honor by winning a place or being chosen for inclusion in or on: The novel made the bestseller list. He made the all-American team three years in a row.
Slang.
to have sexual intercourse with.
Cards.
- to name (the trump).
- to take a trick with (a card).
- Bridge. to fulfill or achieve (a contract or bid).
- to shuffle (the cards).
to earn, as a score: The team made 40 points in the first half.
Slang. (especially in police and underworld use)
- to recognize or identify: Any cop in town will make you as soon as you walk down the street.
- to charge or cause to be charged with a crime: The police expect to make a couple of suspects soon.
to close (an electric circuit).
South Midland and Southern U.S.
to plant and cultivate or produce (a crop): He makes some of the best corn in the country.
