From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishexpansionex‧pan‧sion /ɪkˈspænʃən/ ●●○ W3 AWL noun 1 [countable, uncountable]INCREASE IN NUMBER OR AMOUNT when something increases in size, range, amount etc SYN growth, → expandexpansion of The rapid expansion of cities can cause social and economic problems.expansion in an expansion in student numbers2 [countable, uncountable]INCREASE IN NUMBER OR AMOUNT when a company, business etc becomes larger by opening new shops, factories etc → expand The industry underwent a period of rapid expansion.3 [countable]DETAIL an idea, story etc that is based on one that is simpler or more general The novel is an expansion of a short story he wrote about forty years ago.COLLOCATIONS – Meanings 1 & 2ADJECTIVES/NOUN + expansiona big expansionLast year saw a big expansion at the company.a great/huge/massive expansion (=very big)There are plans for a massive expansion of the oil and gas industries.a major/significant expansion (=large and important)The company is planning a major expansion of its retail outlets.a rapid expansionDuring the 1990s, there was a rapid expansion in student numbers.a steady expansionThere has been a steady expansion of the self-employed sector of the economy.further expansionInvestors think the hotel chain is ripe for further expansion.economic expansionEconomic expansion in India and China is set to continue.business/commercial expansionThese new measures could limit business expansion.urban expansionWe are seeing uncontrolled urban expansion in many African cities.verbsexpansion takes place (also expansion occurs formal)The biggest expansion occurred in the volume of small issue government bonds.expansion + NOUNan expansion planThe city’s ambitious expansion plans will require major investment.an expansion programmeSuch an aggressive expansion programme could double the business in five years.
Examples from the Corpus
expansion• Without this productivity increase exports could not have expanded fast enough to balance the additional imports required to sustain the 1955-61 expansion.• He is an extreme nationalist, who threatens war and expansion at the drop of a fur hat.• Most regions are enjoying rapid economic expansion.• The airline has plans for expansion into Asia.• A reading above 50 % indicates expansion in the manufacturing sector and a reading below 50 % indicates a contraction.• It fully expected a massive expansion.• Bureaucrats may be motivated to achieve positions of control rather than expansion.• The focus of this will be the expansion of sales to the private sector and to selected overseas markets.• It is a substantial record of investment in the expansion of primary and community health care.• Within a decade we were back to our old ways of profligacy and profit, confident that the expansion would continue unabated.• the expansion of the local stadiumrapid expansion• But with the pipeline capable of handling 750m cubic feet of gas a day there is scope for a rapid expansion.• But that movement itself, despite rapid expansion, was also a child of the Victorians and of Liberal radicalism.• Institutions took the hint, and began their current binge of rapid expansion.• The move represents the latest step in Starbucks' rapid expansion plans.• The rapid expansion of enrolments, teacher numbers and the volume of materials and support services meant that budgets grew very rapidly.• The rapid expansion of the domestic market helped to fuel inflation, which reached 13.4 percent in 1990.• This rapid expansion, combined with a large teacher training programme, was a mammoth task.• The very rapid expansion of the education system has left support systems running to catch up.rapid expansion• But with the pipeline capable of handling 750m cubic feet of gas a day there is scope for a rapid expansion.• But that movement itself, despite rapid expansion, was also a child of the Victorians and of Liberal radicalism.• Institutions took the hint, and began their current binge of rapid expansion.• The move represents the latest step in Starbucks' rapid expansion plans.• The rapid expansion of enrolments, teacher numbers and the volume of materials and support services meant that budgets grew very rapidly.• The rapid expansion of the domestic market helped to fuel inflation, which reached 13.4 percent in 1990.• This rapid expansion, combined with a large teacher training programme, was a mammoth task.• The very rapid expansion of the education system has left support systems running to catch up.From Longman Business Dictionaryexpansionex‧pan‧sion /ɪkˈspænʃən/ noun [uncountable]1when something increases or is increased in size, amount, or numberAn expansion of demand can give rise to inflationary pressuresThere was enormous expansion of credit to finance cumulative budget deficits of $1,400 billion.2ECONOMICS when an economy becomes more successful, and there is increased economic activity, more jobs etcthe continued expansion of the Japanese economyThe study was carried out at a time of economic expansion and three out of four of the firms had experienced growth in the year prior to the study.3COMMERCE when an industry or company becomes bigger or more successfula strategy of modest but steady expansionMany small businesses are already benefiting from lower interest rates as they accelerate their expansion plans.More expansion into Europe is likely, but the company will not be hurried. → vertical expansion 