grow
grow
Pronunciation
/ɡroʊ/ - This word has only one syllable, and it consists of the "gr" consonant cluster followed by the "ow" diphthong.
Word Form Variations
Base Form (Infinitive/Present Simple): grow
Third-person singular present: grows
Past Simple: grew
Past Participle: grown
Present Participle/Gerund: growing
Noun form (related concept): growth
Adjective form (related concept): grown (as in "fully grown")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb
Definition 1: To increase in size, stature, or maturity over a period of time, typically through natural physiological processes.
Synonyms: develop, mature, expand, enlarge, flourish, sprout
Antonyms: shrink, diminish, wither, decline, decay
Example: The small sapling will grow into a mighty oak tree over many years.
Definition 2: To cultivate or raise plants, crops, or other living things.
Synonyms: cultivate, raise, nurture, farm, plant, rear
Antonyms: destroy, neglect, harvest (in the sense of ending the growth)
Example: My grandmother loves to grow vegetables in her garden.
Definition 3: To become, or cause to become, larger, more numerous, or more significant in some quality or state.
Synonyms: increase, expand, escalate, multiply, intensify, accrue
Antonyms: decrease, lessen, contract, dwindle, diminish
Example: Their love for each other continued to grow with each passing day.
Definition 4: To extend, emerge, or develop from a source or beginning.
Synonyms: originate, emerge, spring, issue, arise
Antonyms: terminate, end, cease, recede
Example: A sense of unease grew from the silence in the room.
Noun (Informal usage, often in specific contexts like "to have a grow")
Definition 1: An instance or period of growing, particularly referring to the cultivation of plants, often illicitly.
Synonyms: cultivation, crop, yield, harvest
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for this informal usage)
Example: The police discovered a cannabis grow in the abandoned warehouse.
Examples of Use
Books:
"But the hearts of small children are not so terribly different from our own. They grow, they change, they suffer, and they love." (Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time) - This exemplifies "grow" in the sense of development and change.
"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures. It is the only way to grow." (Henry Ward Beecher, Lectures to Young Men) - Here, "grow" refers to personal development and self-improvement.
Newspapers:
"The city's population is expected to grow by 15% over the next decade, presenting challenges for infrastructure." (The New York Times) - This usage denotes an increase in size or number.
"Farmers are facing new challenges as they try to grow more drought-resistant crops in changing climates." (The Guardian) - This highlights "grow" in the context of cultivation.
Online Publications:
"How to Grow Your Small Business: A Step-by-Step Guide for Entrepreneurs." (Forbes.com) - This refers to increasing the size, success, or scope of a business.
"Experts predict that AI's influence will grow exponentially in the coming years, transforming various industries." (Wired.com) - Here, "grow" signifies an increase in influence or prevalence.
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Television Series (Dialogue): "You know, seeing you two together, it just makes my heart grow three sizes." (From The Grinch, a common idiom playing on the idea of emotional expansion)
Song Lyrics: "And my love will grow, with every passing day." (From "My Love Will Grow" by Sam Smith, expressing increasing affection)
Video Game (Tutorial/Prompt): "Collect enough resources to grow your base and unlock new technologies." (From a strategy video game like Civilization or Age of Empires, referring to expanding a structure or entity)
Podcast (Discussion): "We need to allow young talent to grow and flourish in this competitive industry." (From "The Joe Rogan Experience," discussing the development of individuals)
General Public Discourse:
"It's amazing to watch how fast kids grow up these days." (Common conversational remark, referring to physical and developmental maturation)
"Our community garden helps people connect and grow their own food." (Statement by a community organizer, referring to cultivation)
"You really need to grow a thicker skin if you're going to work in sales." (Informal advice, meaning to become more resilient emotionally)
"The rumors started to grow after the initial report, eventually becoming widely believed." (Casual conversation describing the amplification of information)
10 Famous Quotes Using Grow
"The mind, once stretched by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions." (Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.) - While not using "grow" directly, "stretched" here implies intellectual growth and expansion.
"What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality." (Plutarch) - This alludes to internal growth leading to external manifestation.
"Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow." (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures. It is the only way to grow." (Henry Ward Beecher)
"A man's mind, stretched by new ideas, may never return to its original dimensions." (Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.) - A variation on the first quote, often attributed to both father and son, directly implies growth.
"Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises." (Demosthenes) - This implies that something small can grow into something large.
"We can not grow when we are in a state of fear." (Elisabeth Kübler-Ross)
"Just as a tree without roots cannot stand, a person without a past cannot grow." (African Proverb)
"The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all." (Mulan, Disney animated film) - This metaphorically speaks to growth under difficult circumstances.
"The capacity to learn is a gift; the ability to learn is a skill; the willingness to learn is a choice." (Brian Herbert) - Learning is inherently tied to personal and intellectual growth.
Etymology
The word "grow" has a long and interesting history, tracing its roots back thousands of years!
Imagine a very, very old language that's the ancestor of many European languages, called Proto-Indo-European (PIE). The word "grow" comes from a PIE root that sounded something like *gʰreh₁-, which meant "to grow" or "to become green." You can see the connection to things that become green as they grow, like plants.
From this ancient PIE root, the word evolved into Proto-Germanic, which is the ancestor of English, German, Dutch, and Scandinavian languages. In Proto-Germanic, it was something like *grōaną, meaning "(plant) to grow" or "to green."
Then, it came into Old English (the earliest form of English, spoken before 1150 AD) as "grōwan." This is where we see the first clear use and meaning similar to what we have today.
Initially, in Old English, "grōwan" was mainly used to talk about plants flourishing, increasing in size, and developing. Think of a seed sprouting and becoming a plant. It also sometimes referred to land becoming green with vegetation.
Over time, in Middle English (from about 1150 to 1500 AD), the word "grow" started to be used more broadly. Around the 1300s, people began using it to describe human beings and animals getting bigger and developing. It essentially took over from another Old English word, "weaxan" (which is related to our modern "wax," as in "wax and wane"), for the general meaning of "to increase."
Later, around the late 1700s, the idea of "causing something to grow" (like "grow crops" or "grow a beard") became common. So, from its humble beginnings describing plants, "grow" blossomed into the versatile word we use today for all kinds of increases, developments, and changes.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Grow
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "grow":
Grow on someone: To gradually become more liked by someone.
Grow up: To mature, to become an adult; to stop behaving childishly.
Grow out of something: To become too old for something; to stop having a habit or interest.
Grow into something: To develop into something; to become large enough for clothes.
Grow a backbone: To develop courage and strength of character.
Grow a conscience: To develop a sense of right and wrong.
Grow wings: To develop the ability to fly (literally or figuratively, like gaining independence).
Grow like a weed: To grow very quickly.
Grow old gracefully: To age with dignity and acceptance.
Grow fond of: To develop affection for something or someone.
Grow apart: To gradually become less close or intimate with someone.
Grow together: To develop a stronger bond or relationship.
Grow by leaps and bounds: To grow or improve very rapidly.
Grow roots: To become settled in a place; to establish oneself.
Make something grow: To cause something to develop or increase.
Let the grass grow under one's feet: To waste time by being idle. (Uses a synonym for "grow" in a similar context of progression)
Develop an appetite for: To start wanting something more. (Uses a synonym for "grow" in the sense of increasing a desire)
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of grow from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
