Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Revolutionize \Rev`o*lu"tion*ize\, v. t. [imp. & p. p.
Revolutioniezed; p. pr. & vb. n. Revolutionizing.]
To change completely, as by a revolution; as, to
revolutionize a government.
--Ames.
The gospel . . . has revolutionized his soul.
--J. M.
Mason.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
1797, "to cause to undergo a (political) revolution;" see revolution + -ize. Transferred sense of "to change a thing completely and fundamentally" is first recorded 1799. Related: Revolutionized; revolutionizing.
Wiktionary
alt. to radically or significantly change, as in a revolution vb. to radically or significantly change, as in a revolution
WordNet
v. change radically; "E-mail revolutionized communication in academe" [syn: revolutionise, overturn]
overthrow by a revolution, of governments
fill with revolutionary ideas [syn: revolutionise, inspire]
Usage examples of "revolutionize".
I did meet with a group of interesting scientists, learned of some major discoveries in the science of smell, wore two perfumes that may or may not revolutionize the fragrance business, and ate several bags of gourmet saltwater taffy, made with salt from the Great Salt Lake.
In 1980, Jon Rowleyan Alaska fisherman for ten years after quitting Reed Collegebegan working with fishermen, supermarkets, and restaurants to revolutionize the way Pacific fish were caught, handled, and delivered to the city.
But he knew he had uncovered a formula that would revolutionize human society.
He watches Babe Ruth revolutionize baseball, meets Charles Lindbergh as a young pilot, and learns to skin-dive in the waters off Cuba.
The chap who can find out how to release that energy all at once will revolutionize the civilized world.
Perhaps it has occurred to them that it would revolutionize the practice of medicine and be worth a fortune.
This would be merely a base to build on, to create a whole new race which would one day conquer and revolutionize World even more than the First Spell had done.
We know how to revolutionize and raise ourselves up and, eventually, all of World.
A discovery so enormous that it will revolutionize life as we know it.
If computerized corruption is perfected, it will revolutionize bribery as we know it in municipal building departments.
He doesn accept the extraterrestrial spacecraft hypothesis, but he thinks that something mysterious underlies the phenomenon, which, if understood, may revolutionize science.
The dramatist who not only disseminated radicalism, but literally revolutionized the thoughtful Germans, is Gerhardt Hauptmann.
The Cooper-Hoffman valve, which he and his partner had invented as young physicians, had revolutionized the then-new field of open heart surgery and made possible a lifestyle that allowed him to live in that French-owned resort while continuing to travel for his lectures and conferences all over the world.
If this new monster of the sea should succeed single handed in destroying the fleet of six vessels lying in Hampton Roads, the naval warfare of the world would be revolutionized in a day and overtures for peace might be within sight.
It was a strange and amusing landing of an expedition the results of which have revolutionized the life of the inhabitants of the entire globe.