modify

modifier, adapter

Changer quelque chose, souvent légèrement, pour l’améliorer ou l’adapter à un autre usage.

En anglais simple : Change something, often slightly, to improve it or make it suitable for a different use.

• We need to modify the plan.
• She modified the recipe to use less sugar.
• Can this vehicle be modified for wheelchair users?

Comment l'utiliser : modify something to do something (They modified the software to run on older computers.); modify something for someone/something (We modified the equipment for younger children.)

Synonymes : change, adjust, adapt, alter

Expressions courantes : modify something, modify a design, modify a plan

modifier, qualifier

Apporter des informations supplémentaires sur un autre mot ou groupe de mots dans une phrase.

En anglais simple : Give extra information about another word or group of words in a sentence.

• Adjectives often modify nouns.
• Here, the adverb modifies the verb.
• Which word does this phrase modify?

Synonymes : qualify

Expressions courantes : modify a noun, modify a verb

se modifier

Changer de forme ou de caractère, sans préciser qui ou quoi provoque ce changement.

En anglais simple : Change in form or character, without saying who or what causes the change.

• These structures modify under pressure.
• The tissue modifies as the plant grows.
• Its shape modified gradually as conditions changed.

Synonymes : change, alter

Expressions courantes : modify gradually, modify over time