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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Ramify

Ramify \Ram"i*fy\ (r[a^]m"[i^]*f[imac]), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ramified (-f[imac]d); p. pr. & vb. n. Ramifying.] [F. ramifier, LL. ramificare, fr. L. ramus a branch + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See -fy.] To divide into branches or subdivisions; as, to ramify an art, subject, scheme.

Ramify

Ramify \Ram"i*fy\, v. i.

  1. To shoot, or divide, into branches or subdivisions, as the stem of a plant.

    When they [asparagus plants] . . . begin to ramify.
    --Arbuthnot.

  2. To be divided or subdivided, as a main subject.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
ramify

early 15c., "branch out," from Middle French ramifier (early 14c.), from Medieval Latin ramificare "to form branches," from Latin ramus "branch" (see ramus) + root of facere "to make" (see factitious). Related: Ramified; ramifying.\n

Wiktionary
ramify

vb. 1 To divide into branches or subdivisions. 2 (context figuratively English) To spread or diversify into multiple fields or category.

WordNet
ramify
  1. v. have or develop complicating consequences; "These actions will ramify" [syn: complexify]

  2. grow and send out branches or branch-like structures; "these plants ramify early and get to be very large" [syn: branch]

  3. divide into two or more branches so as to form a fork; "The road forks" [syn: branch, fork, furcate, separate]

  4. [also: ramified]

Usage examples of "ramify".

The branches of the huge tree had begun to fork, pending the time when they would ramify endlessly, like the branches of some great royal oak spreading afar over the soil.

And they both ramify in the most complicated manner into the consideration of the general morale of the community.

Philip knew these relatives well: they ramify, if need be, all over the peninsula.

It ramifies in streams that intermit And make their movement vague, old-fashioned, slow To foil the modern methods counterposed!

The water seeks out all the low places, and ramifies the interior, running away into lovely bays and lagoons, leaving slender tongues of land and picturesque islands, and bringing into the recesses of the land, to the remote country farms and settlements, the flavor of salt, and the fish and mollusks of the briny sea.

The flow of pioneers, so vital in all its aspects, and which has yielded such inestimable benefits at the early stages of this widely ramified enterprise, must, however urgent the other tasks already shouldered by an overburdened yet unfailingly protected community, be neither arrested nor slacken.

Complex fans ramified far back inside the milky nitrogen ice, following veins of carbonaceous compounds.

There was more genius in it than in any structure of the kind I have ever seen,--each length being of a special pattern, ramified, reticulated, contorted, as the limbs of the trees had grown.

All seething with detail that ramified as you looked at it, then split again into underworlds of minutia.

The chains of reasoning which had made the reorganization of the world and the building of the ship possible within months, had been too subtle and ramified for animal man to follow.

These centralised at San Francisco and thence ramified and spread north, east, and south, to every quarter of the State.

Others appeared to be parasites, sending complex veins ramifying through the thalli of their victims.

This magnificent home had overwhelmed her even as she approached: its towering crest, its ramifying branches garlanded with countless luminants, its far-spread webs designed to protect the occupants against wingets and add their minuscule contribution to the pool of organic matter at its roots, cleverly programmed to withdraw before a visitor so that they would not be torn all, all reflected such luxury as far surpassed her youthful experience.

In his mind, his quick message to Seria was rapidly ramifying into a particularly touchy and tentative love letter.

Immanent Will, that pervade all things, ramifying through the whole army, NAPOLEON included, and moving them to Its inexplicable artistries.