modify

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mod·i·fy / ˈmädəˌfī/ • v. (-fies, -fied) [tr.] make partial or minor changes to (something), typically so as to improve it or to make it less extreme: she may be prepared to modify her views| [as adj.] (modified) a modified version of the aircraft. ∎  Biol. transform (a structure) from its original anatomical form during development or evolution. ∎  Gram. (esp. of an adjective) restrict or add to the sense of (a noun): the target noun is modified by a “direction” word. ∎  Phonet. pronounce (a speech sound) in a way that is different from the norm for that sound.DERIVATIVES: mod·i·fi·a·ble adj.mod·i·fi·ca·to·ry / ˈmädəfəkəˌtôrē; ˌmädəˈfikəˌtôrē/ adj.

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