• vt. 乘；使增加；使繁殖；使相乘
• vi. 乘；繁殖；增加
• adv. 多样地；复合地
• adj. 多层的；多样的

multi-,许多，多个，-ply,倍数，词源同imply,comply.引申词义繁殖。

multiply

multiply: [13] Multiply is one of a large family of English words based on Latin multus ‘much’, a word of uncertain origin which may be related to Greek mála ‘very’ and Latin melior ‘better’. Multiply itself comes from the Latin derivative multiplicāre, formed with the element plic- ‘fold’ found also in complicated, explicit, etc, and therefore very closely parallel to the native English compound manifold.

Other members of the family include multiple [17], from late Latin multiplus (the -plus is a relative of the -plic- in multiplicāre); multitude [14], from Latin multitūdō ‘crowd’, formed with the abstract noun suffix -tūdō; and of course the host of words formed since the 16th century with the prefix multi-, including multifarious [17] (based on Latin -fārius ‘doing’), multilateral [17], multinational [20], multiracial [20], and multistorey [20].
=> fold

multiply (v.)

mid-12c., multeplier, "to cause to become many," from Old French multiplier, mouteplier (12c.) "increase, get bigger; flourish; breed; extend, enrich," from Latin multiplicare "to increase," from multiplex (genitive multiplicis) "having many folds, many times as great in number," from comb. form of multus (see multi-) + -plex "-fold," from PIE *plek- "to plait" (see ply (v.1.)). Mathematical sense is attested from late 14c. Related: Multiplied; multiplying.

1. Take the time in seconds, square it, and multiply by 5.12.

记下用了多少秒时间，将其平方，再乘以5.12。

来自柯林斯例句

2. Take the average of those ratios and multiply by a hundred.

算出那些比率的平均值再乘以100。

来自柯林斯例句

3. The children are already learning to multiply and divide.

孩子们已经开始学习乘法和除法了。

来自《权威词典》

4. Think of a number and multiply it by two.

想出一个数，然后乘以二。

来自《权威词典》

5. When animals have more food, they generally multiply faster.

动物在有较多的食物时, 一般繁殖得较快.

来自《简明英汉词典》