/ grəʊ; NAmE groʊ/ verb
( grew / gruː; NAmE / grown / grəʊn; NAmE groʊn/)
INCREASE
1.
grow (in sth) to increase in size, number, strength or quality :
[ v ]
The company profits grew by 5% last year.
The family has grown in size recently.
She is growing in confidence all the time.
A growing number of people are going vegetarian.
Fears are growing for the safety of a teenager who disappeared a week ago.
[ v - adj ]
The company is growing bigger all the time.
OF PERSON / ANIMAL
2.
to become bigger or taller and develop into an adult :
[ v ]
You've grown since the last time I saw you!
Nick's grown almost an inch in the last month.
[ v - adj ]
to grow bigger / taller
OF PLANT
3.
to exist and develop in a particular place; to make plants grow :
[ v ]
The region is too dry for plants to grow.
Tomatoes grow best in direct sunlight.
[ vn ]
I didn't know they grew rice in France.
—see also home-grown
OF HAIR / NAILS
4.
to become longer; to allow sth to become longer by not cutting it :
[ v ]
I've decided to let my hair grow.
[ vn ]
I've decided to grow my hair.
I didn't recognize him—he's grown a beard.
BECOME / BEGIN
5.
linking verb [ v - adj ] to begin to have a particular quality or feeling over a period of time :
to grow old / bored / calm
As time went on he grew more and more impatient.
The skies grew dark and it began to rain.
6.
[ v to inf ] to gradually begin to do sth :
I'm sure you'll grow to like her in time.
DEVELOP SKILLS
7.
[ v ] grow (as sth) ( of a person ) to develop and improve particular qualities or skills :
She continues to grow as an artist.
BUSINESS
8.
[ vn ] to increase the size, quality or number of sth :
We are trying to grow the business.
•
IDIOMS
- it / money doesn't grow on trees
—more at absence , grass noun
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- grow apart (from sb)
- grow away from sb
- grow back
- grow into sth
- grow on sb
- grow out
- grow sth out
- grow out of sth
- grow up
•
IDIOMS
see oak
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English grōwan (originally referring chiefly to plants), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch groeien , also to grass and green .