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grow up

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grow

  [groh] verb, grew, grown, grow⋅ing.
Use grow up in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1. to increase by natural development, as any living organism or part by assimilation of nutriment; increase in size or substance.
2. to form and increase in size by a process of inorganic accretion, as by crystallization.
3. to arise or issue as a natural development from an original happening, circumstance, or source: Our friendship grew from common interests.
4. to increase gradually in size, amount, etc.; become greater or larger; expand: His influence has grown.
5. to become gradually attached or united by or as if by growth: The branches of the trees grew together, forming a natural arch.
6. to come to be by degrees; become: to grow old.
7. Nautical. to lie or extend in a certain direction, as an anchor cable.
–verb (used with object)
8. to cause to grow: They grow corn.
9. to allow to grow: to grow a beard.
10. to cover with a growth (used in the passive): a field grown with corn.
—Verb phrases
11. grow into,
a. to become large enough for: He'll grow into his brother's suits before long.
b. to become mature or experienced enough for: She grew into the job, although she wasn't qualified for it at first.
12. grow on or upon,
a. to increase in influence or effect: An uneasy feeling grew upon him as he went through the old house.
b. to become gradually more liked or accepted by: a village by the sea that grows on one.
13. grow out of,
a. to become too large or mature for; outgrow: He has grown out of all his clothes.
b. to originate in; develop from: The plan grew out of a casual conversation.
14. grow up,
a. to be or become fully grown; attain mental or physical maturity.
b. to come into existence; arise: New cities grew up in the desert.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME growen, OE grōwan; c. D groeien, OHG grouwan, ON grōa

Related forms:
grow⋅a⋅ble, adjective

Synonyms:
1. develop, multiply, swell, enlarge, expand, extend. 3. originate. 4. wax. 8. raise, cultivate, produce.

Antonyms:
1. decrease. 4. wane.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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grow   (grō)   
v.   grew (grōō), grown (grōn), grow·ing, grows

v.   intr.

  1. To increase in size by a natural process.

    1. To expand; gain: The business grew under new owners.

    2. To increase in amount or degree; intensify: The suspense grew.

  3. To develop and reach maturity.

  4. To be capable of growth; thrive: a plant that grows in shade.

  5. To become attached by or as if by the process of growth: tree trunks that had grown together.

  6. To come into existence from a source; spring up: love that grew from friendship.

  7. To come to be by a gradual process or by degrees; become: grow angry; grow closer.

v.   tr.

  1. To cause to grow; raise: grow tulips.

  2. To allow (something) to develop or increase by a natural process: grow a beard.

  3. Usage Problem To cause to increase or expand by concerted effort: strategies that grew the family business.

  4. To develop so as to become: A boy grows into a man.

  5. To develop or change so as to fit: She grew into her job. He grew into the relationship slowly.

  6. To become gradually more evident to: A feeling of distrust grew on me.

  7. To become gradually more pleasurable or acceptable to: a taste that grows on a person.

Phrasal Verb(s):
grow into

  1. To develop so as to become: A boy grows into a man.

  2. To develop or change so as to fit: She grew into her job. He grew into the relationship slowly.

grow on/upon

  1. To become gradually more evident to: A feeling of distrust grew on me.

  2. To become gradually more pleasurable or acceptable to: a taste that grows on a person.

grow upTo become an adult.

Idiom(s):
grow out ofTo develop or come into existence from: an article that grew out of a few scribbled notes.

[Middle English growen, from Old English grōwan; see ghrē- in Indo-European roots.]
grow'er n., grow'ing·ly adv.
Usage Note: Grow has been used since medieval times as an intransitive verb, as in Our business has been growing steadily for 10 years. It has been used with an object since the 18th century, meaning "to produce or cultivate," as in We grow corn in our garden. But the transitive use applied to business and nonliving things is quite new. It came into full bloom during the 1992 presidential election, when nearly all the candidates were concerned with "growing the economy." The Usage Panel is decidedly less fond of this development than business leaders and politicans are. Eighty percent of the Panel rejects the phrase grow our business. The Panel is more accepting of, though not enthusiastic about, the phrase grow our way, perhaps because of way's established use in expressions like make our way and find our way: 48 percent accept We've got to grow our way out of this recession. The Panel has no affection for the odd but occasionally heard phrase grow down: 98 percent reject If elected, I shall do my utmost to grow down the deficit.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

grow 
O.E. growan (of plants) "to flourish, develop, get bigger" (class VII strong verb; past tense greow, pp. growen), from P.Gmc. *gro- (cf. O.N. groa, O.Fris. groia, Du. groeien, O.H.G. gruoen), from root of grass (q.v.). Applied in M.E. to human beings (c.1300) and animals (1435) and their parts, supplanting O.E. weaxan (see wax (v.)).
"Have you ever heard anything about God, Topsy? ... Do you know who made you?" "Nobody, as I knows on," said the child. ... "I spect I grow'd. Don't think nobody never made me." [Harriet B. Stowe, "Uncle Tom's Cabin," 1851]
Grown-up (adj.) "mature" is from 1633; the noun meaning "adult person" is from 1813. Growth is first attested 1557, on model of health, stealth, etc.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: grow
Pronunciation: 'grO
Function: verb
Inflected Form: grew /'grü/; grown /'grOn/; grow·ing
intransitive senses
1 a : to spring up and develop to maturity b : to be able to grow in some place or situation c : to assume somerelation through or as if through a process of natural growth grew together>
2 : to increase in size by addition of material byassimilation into the living organism or by accretion in a nonbiological process (as crystallization) grow transitive senses
: to cause to grow <grew bacteria inculture>
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

grow (grō)
v. grew (gr&oomacr;), grown (grōn), grow·ing, grows

  1. To increase in size by a natural process.

  2. To develop and reach maturity.

  3. To be capable of growth; thrive.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Idioms & Phrases

grow up

  1. Become an adult, as in Sam wants to be a policeman when he grows up. [First half of 1500s]

  2. Come into existence, arise, as in Similar social problems grew up in all the big cities. [Late 1500s]

  3. Become mature or sensible, as in It's time you grew up and faced the facts. This usage may also be in the form of an imperative (as in Don't bite your nailsgrow up!) [Mid-1900s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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