growth S3 W1 /ɡrəʊθ $ ɡroʊθ/ BrE AmE noun
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ grower , ↑ growth , ↑ undergrowth , ↑ outgrowth , ↑ overgrowth ; adjective : growing, ↑ grown , ↑ overgrown ; verb : ↑ grow , ↑ outgrow ]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Origin: grow ]
1 . INCREASE [singular, uncountable] an increase in amount, number, or size OPP decline
growth in/of
We’ve seen an enormous growth in the number of businesses using the Web.
the rapid growth of world population
the recent growth of interest in African music
2 . BUSINESS/ECONOMY [singular, uncountable] an increase in the value of goods or services produced and sold by a business or a country OPP decline :
measures to stimulate economic growth
strong/rapid/slow etc growth
a period of rapid growth in the economy
The company is preparing for zero growth (=no growth) this year.
growth area/industry
Debt collection is a huge growth industry.
3 . SIZE/STRENGTH [singular, uncountable] the development of the physical size, strength etc of a person, animal, or plant over a period of time:
Vitamins are essential for healthy growth.
a means of stimulating plant growth
a growth hormone (=substance in the body that causes you to grow)
4 . IMPORTANCE [singular, uncountable] a gradual increase in the importance or influence that something has
growth of
Cinemas declined with the growth of television.
5 . PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT [uncountable] the development of someone’s character, intelligence, or emotions:
A loving home is essential for a child’s personal growth.
emotional/intellectual/spiritual etc growth
the journey toward spiritual growth
6 . DISEASE [countable] a swelling on or inside a person, animal, or plant, caused by disease ⇨ tumour :
a cancerous growth
growth on
a growth on his lung
7 . GROWING THING [uncountable and countable] something that has grown:
Feed the plants to encourage new growth.
His chin bore a thick growth of stubble.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ adjectives
▪ rapid
From the mid 1970s to the mid 1980s there was very rapid growth.
▪ strong
Many industries are expecting strong growth this year.
▪ steady
The business has a history of steady growth.
▪ slow
Economists are forecasting a period of slow growth.
▪ explosive growth (=very fast growth)
India and China are the developing countries with the most potential for explosive growth.
▪ zero growth
The budget was based around a forecast of zero growth in gross domestic product.
▪ economic growth
American aid was meant to kick-start the country’s economic growth.
▪ annual growth
There was an annual growth of 4%.
■ growth + NOUN
▪ a growth area/industry
Nuclear energy will be the main growth area in the energy sector.
▪ the growth rate
The economic growth rate averaged only 1.4 percent.
■ verbs
▪ achieve growth
After the war, Europe achieved remarkable economic growth.
▪ maintain/sustain growth
Governments that want to survive have to maintain growth.
▪ stimulate/encourage/promote growth
Greater government spending may stimulate economic growth.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ increase noun [uncountable and countable] an occasion when the amount or number of something becomes bigger:
There has been a significant increase in violent crime over the past year.
|
price increases
▪ growth noun [singular, uncountable] an increase in the number, size, or importance of something. Growth is also used when saying that a company or a country’s economy becomes more successful:
The astonishing growth of the Internet has had a dramatic effect on people’s lives.
|
Japan experienced a period of rapid economic growth.
|
Many people are concerned about the enormous growth in the world’s population.
▪ rise noun [countable] an increase in the amount of something, or in the standard or level of something:
The latest figures show a sharp rise (=a sudden big rise) in unemployment in the region.
|
There was a 34 percent rise in the number of armed robberies.
|
The majority of families experienced a rise in living standards.
▪ surge noun [countable usually singular] a sudden increase in something such as profits, demand, or interest:
There has been a big surge in demand for organically grown food.
|
We have seen a tremendous surge of interest in Chinese medicine.
▪ gain noun [uncountable and countable] an increase in the amount or level of something - used especially in business or political contexts, or when talking about an increase in someone’s weight:
sales gains
|
The December job figures show a net gain of 81,000 jobs.
|
The party has experienced a gain in popularity.
|
The amount of weight gain during pregnancy varies.
▪ hike noun [countable] informal especially American English a large or sudden increase in prices or taxes - often used in newspaper reports:
Despite a 25% hike in fuel costs, the airline made a profit last year.
|
tax hikes
|
wage hikes