Grow

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ɡɹəʊ/
• US IPA: /ɡɹoÊŠ/
• Rhymes: -əʊ

Origin

From Middle English growen, from Old English grōwan ("to grow, increase, flourish, germinate"), from Proto-Germanic *grōaną ("to grow, grow green"), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰreh₁- ("to grow, become green").

Full definition of grow

Verb

1. (ergative) To become bigger.Children grow quickly.
2. (intransitive) To appear or sprout.Flowers grew on the trees as summer approached.A long tail began to grow from his backside.
3. (transitive) To cause or allow something to become bigger, especially to cultivate plants.
• 2011, March 01, Peter Roff, Another Foolish Move By Congress, The Bush administration – which sought to grow the number of fisheries managed under a program known as “catch shares”...
4. He grows peppers and squash each summer in his garden.Have you ever grown your hair before?
5. (copulative) To assume a condition or quality over time.The boy grew wise as he matured.The town grew smaller and smaller in the distance as we travelled.You have grown strong.
6. (intransitive, obsolete) To become attached or fixed; to adhere.
• ShakespeareOur knees shall kneel till to the ground they grow.

Usage notes

Growed is a slang or dialect inflection for the simple past and past participle.

Antonyms

• shrink

Derived terms