Obs. Forms: 4 creese, creesse, cresce, 4–5 crese, 5 cresse, crece, 5–7 crease. [app. aphetic form of acrese, ACCREASE, also found in sense of earlier encrese, INCREASE. A direct formation from creiss- stem of OF. creistre to grow, is possible in some cases.] = INCREASE v. a. intr.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. II. 148. Þe fame of Crist must creese.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 276. He … bad hem cresce and multiply.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., II. xix. (1495), 45. Alwaye as the trespaas … creasyth, Soo the payne creasyth also.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., I. 227. As fatter lande wol crece and thrive.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 102. Cresyn or encresyn, accresco.
1547. Boorde, Introd. Knowl., 130. My anger … creaseth more and more.
b. trans.
c. 1475. Partenay, 4262. Which ofte cressith hurt.
