From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
increase n 1: a quantity that is added; "there was an addition to property taxes this year"; "they recorded the cattle's gain in weight over a period of weeks" [syn: addition, increase, gain] 2: a change resulting in an increase; "the increase is scheduled for next month" [ant: decrease, drop-off, lessening] 3: a process of becoming larger or longer or more numerous or more important; "the increase in unemployment"; "the growth of population" [syn: increase, increment, growth] [ant: decrease, decrement] 4: the amount by which something increases; "they proposed an increase of 15 percent in the fare" [syn: increase, increment] [ant: decrease, decrement] 5: the act of increasing something; "he gave me an increase in salary" [syn: increase, step-up] [ant: decrease, diminution, reduction, step-down] v 1: become bigger or greater in amount; "The amount of work increased" [ant: decrease, diminish, fall, lessen] 2: make bigger or more; "The boss finally increased her salary"; "The university increased the number of students it admitted" [ant: decrease, lessen, minify]