GROW (grew, grown)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does grow mean? 

• GROW (verb)
  The verb GROW has 10 senses:

1. pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

2. become larger, greater, or bigger; expand or gain

3. increase in size by natural process

4. cause to grow or develop

5. develop and reach maturity; undergo maturation

6. come into existence; take on form or shape

7. cultivate by growing, often involving improvements by means of agricultural techniques

8. come to have or undergo a change of (physical features and attributes)

9. grow emotionally or mature

10. become attached by or as if by the process of growth

  Familiarity information: GROW used as a verb is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GROW (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

grow; turn

Context example:

She grew angry

Hypernyms (to "grow" is one way to...):

change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)

Verb group:

change state; turn (undergo a transformation or a change of position or action)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "grow"):

bald (grow bald; lose hair on one's head)

turn (change color)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Something ----s something Adjective/Noun
Something ----s Adjective/Noun

Sentence example:

John will grow angry

Derivation:

growth (the gradual beginning or coming forth)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Become larger, greater, or bigger; expand or gain

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

Her business grew fast

Hypernyms (to "grow" is one way to...):

increase (become bigger or greater in amount)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "grow"):

expand; spread out (extend in one or more directions)

prove; rise (increase in volume)

root (take root and begin to grow)

burgeon (grow and flourish)

branch; ramify (grow and send out branches or branch-like structures)

lengthen (become long or longer)

proliferate (grow rapidly)

boom; expand; flourish; thrive (grow vigorously)

expand (become larger in size or volume or quantity)

stretch (become longer by being stretched and pulled)

grow over; overgrow (grow beyond or across)

mushroom (grow and spread fast)

vegetate (grow or spread abnormally)

augment (grow or intensify)

enlarge (become larger or bigger)

climb; go up; rise (increase in value or to a higher point)

hypertrophy (undergo hypertrophy)

develop (grow, progress, unfold, or evolve through a process of evolution, natural growth, differentiation, or a conducive environment)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Sentence example:

The business is going to grow

Also:

grow up (become an adult)

Derivation:

growth (a process of becoming larger or longer or more numerous or more important)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Increase in size by natural process

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

her hair doesn't grow much anymore

Hypernyms (to "grow" is one way to...):

develop (grow, progress, unfold, or evolve through a process of evolution, natural growth, differentiation, or a conducive environment)

Verb group:

grow (cause to grow or develop)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "grow"):

ancylose; ankylose (undergo ankylosis)

bourgeon; burgeon forth; germinate; pullulate; shoot; sprout; spud (produce buds, branches, or germinate)

twin (grow as twins)

vegetate (produce vegetation)

vegetate (grow like a plant)

exfoliate (grow by producing or unfolding leaves)

undergrow (grow below something)

cut (grow through the gums)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP

Sentence example:

Did his feet grow?

Derivation:

growing; growth ((biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Cause to grow or develop

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

He grows vegetables in his backyard

Hypernyms (to "grow" is one way to...):

develop; make grow (cause to grow and differentiate in ways conforming to its natural development)

Cause:

grow (increase in size by natural process)

Verb group:

grow (increase in size by natural process)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "grow"):

culture (grow in a special preparation)

root (cause to take roots)

germinate (cause to grow or sprout)

swell (cause to become swollen)

rotate (plant or grow in a fixed cyclic order of succession)

vegetate (establish vegetation on)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

They grow rye in the field

Derivation:

grower (someone concerned with the science or art or business of cultivating the soil)

growing; growth ((biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Develop and reach maturity; undergo maturation

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

grow; maturate; mature

Context example:

The child grew fast

Hypernyms (to "grow" is one way to...):

develop (grow, progress, unfold, or evolve through a process of evolution, natural growth, differentiation, or a conducive environment)

"Grow" entails doing...:

age; get on; maturate; mature; senesce (grow old or older)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "grow"):

ripen (grow ripe)

find; find oneself (accept and make use of one's personality, abilities, and situation)

grow up (become an adult)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue grow

Derivation:

growing; growth ((biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level)

growth (a progression from simpler to more complex forms)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Come into existence; take on form or shape

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

arise; develop; grow; originate; rise; spring up; uprise

Context example:

An interesting phenomenon uprose

Hypernyms (to "grow" is one way to...):

become (come into existence)

Verb group:

develop (be gradually disclosed or unfolded; become manifest)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "grow"):

resurge (rise again)

come forth; emerge (happen or occur as a result of something)

come; follow (to be the product or result)

swell; well up (come up (as of feelings and thoughts, or other ephemeral things))

head (take its rise)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

growth (the gradual beginning or coming forth)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Cultivate by growing, often involving improvements by means of agricultural techniques

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Synonyms:

farm; grow; produce; raise

Context example:

We raise hogs here

Hypernyms (to "grow" is one way to...):

cultivate (foster the growth of)

Domain category:

agriculture; farming; husbandry (the practice of cultivating the land or raising stock)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "grow"):

carry (bear (a crop))

overproduce (produce in excess; produce more than needed or wanted)

keep (raise)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

They grow rye in the field

Derivation:

grower (someone concerned with the science or art or business of cultivating the soil)

growth (vegetation that has grown)

Sense 8

Meaning:

Come to have or undergo a change of (physical features and attributes)

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

acquire; develop; get; grow; produce

Context example:

Well-developed breasts

Hypernyms (to "grow" is one way to...):

change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)

Verb group:

acquire; develop; evolve (gain through experience)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "grow"):

regrow (grow anew or continue growth after an injury or interruption)

spring (develop suddenly)

sprout; stock (put forth and grow sprouts or shoots)

stool; tiller (grow shoots in the form of stools or tillers)

leaf (produce leaves, of plants)

pod (produce pods, of plants)

teethe (grow teeth; cut the baby teeth)

pupate (develop into a pupa)

get up; work up (develop)

cut (have grow through the gums)

feather; fledge (grow feathers)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 9

Meaning:

Grow emotionally or mature

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

develop; grow

Context example:

When he spent a summer at camp, the boy grew noticeably and no longer showed some of his old adolescent behavior

Hypernyms (to "grow" is one way to...):

change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "grow"):

outgrow (grow too large or too mature for)

make (develop into)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue grow

Sense 10

Meaning:

Become attached by or as if by the process of growth

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

The tree trunks had grown together

Hypernyms (to "grow" is one way to...):

change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

 Context examples 

It is hard on the dogs. We have not much food and we cannot give them enough to eat, and they grow weak. Also, they must work hard.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

The circumstances are of great delicacy, and every precaution has to be taken to quench what might grow to be an immense scandal and seriously compromise one of the reigning families of Europe.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

And as he said, it seemed God hated him too much to let him die, for he ultimately grew better and waxed more malignant than ever.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

“This case grows upon me, Watson,” said he.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Martin Eden, I am afraid, will never grow up.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

The land was divided by long rows of trees, not regularly planted, but naturally growing; there was great plenty of grass, and several fields of oats.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Then it grew louder, and suddenly there came from the window a sharp metallic snick.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

From that night there grew up in my breast a feeling for Peggotty which I cannot very well define.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

But he was still only a part-grown puppy, and stronger than the call either of man or of the Wild was the call of his mother.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

Then Jo grew frightened, Meg begged to be allowed to write the truth, and even Hannah said she 'would think of it, though there was no danger yet'.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)